Compilation
Anthericum hockii

C. sphacelatum s.l. is a variable species complex as to size, general robustness, leaf-width and indumentum. Several attempts have been made to define more homogenous species within the complex. The variation pattern is, however, reticulate and difficult to accommodate taxonomically. We have chosen to keep three taxa at varietal level based on general robustness and indumentum characters, as they are usually easily distinguished (although transitional forms are sometimes met). Kativu & Nordal in Nordic Journ. Bot. (1993) referred the same taxa to subspecific rank. The morphological and geographical patterns as now known, indicate that the varietal level is more appropriate for the forms. On herbarium labels and sometimes also in the literature plants belonging in the C. sphacelatum and in the C. cameronii complexes have been mixed. The decisive identification characters (flower colours and stamen symmetry) may be difficult to interpret on dried material. Material from Kenya (K7), e.g. Irwin 502, Polhill & Paulo 837 & Battiscombe 771, possibly belong in the C. sphacelatum complex. More local studies on variation patterns is needed.