A revision of the genus Ledebouria Roth (Hyacinthaceae) in South Africa.

Abstract

Members of the genus Ledebouria Roth (Hyacinthaceae), which occur in South Africa, are revised. This genus occurs throughout Africa, India and Madagascar. 33 Species are recognized and placed into nine provisional infrageneric groups. A multidisciplinary approach was used in an attempt to provide natural groupings. The following characters were analysed; morphology, micromorphology, palynology and caryology. Aspects of ovary structure and leaf micromorphology proved especially useful in the synthesis of infrageneric and specific concepts. Keys, descriptions, illustrations, distributional, ecological, medicinal and toxicological data are provided. This study is based on plants in their natural habitat, cultivated specimens and representative herbarium specimens from herbaria in South Africa and in Europe.