< Back to the Object

Edit History
DRIMIA altissima (L.f.) Ker Gawl. [family HYACINTHACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1996) Author: Brita Stedje, Ph.D.
Names
DRIMIA altissima (L.f.) Ker Gawl. [family HYACINTHACEAE], in Bot. Mag. 27, t. 1074 (1808); Stedje in Nordic Journ. Bot. 7: 665, figs. 1a, 6k-p, 11b (1987); Blundell, Wild Fl. E. Afr., reprint: 423, t. 247 (1992); U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 319, t. 146 (1994); Thulin, Fl. Somalia 4: 52 (1995). Lectotype, selected by Stedje & Thulin (1995): South Africa, Cape, Thunberg 8275 (UPS, lecto.!) Ornithogalum altissimum L.f. [family HYACINTHACEAE], Suppl. Pl.: 199 (1782) Urginea altissima (L.f.) Baker [family HYACINTHACEAE], in J.L.S. 13: 221 (1872) & in F.T.A. 7: 538 (1898); F.P.U.: 205 (1962); Polhill in Journ. E. Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc. 24: 23 (1962); Hepper in F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 3: 102 (1968); Verdc. & Trump, Common Poisonous Pl. E. Afr.: 181 (1969); Hanid in U.K.W.F.: 693 (1974)
Information
Plants usually tall and robust, 35-200 cm., usually flowering before the leaves. Leaves lanceolate, 20-50 cm. long, 2-7.5 cm. wide. Scape erect, up to 1 cm. in diameter. Inflorescence a ± dense raceme up to 80 cm. long with up to 700 flowers; bracts up to 14 mm. long, spurs up to 3 mm.; pedicels 8-30 mm. long, spreading. Perianth-segments free or united up to 2 mm., 5-11 mm. long, white or greenish white with a green or purple abaxial band. Filaments linear to slightly triangular, free or united with the perianth-segments, free part 4-7 mm. Ovary ovoid, ± 2-5 mm; style ± as long as the ovary. Capsule subglobose, sometimes with an emarginate apex, 8-15 mm. high, 9-15 mm. in diameter. Seeds semicircular, 5-8 mm. long.
Range
DISTR. U 1-4; K 1, 3-7; T 1-4, 6, 7; widely distributed in tropical and southern Africa, from Senegal via East Africa to the Cape
Altitude range
0-2100 m.
Distribution
UGANDA W. Nile District Logiri, 17 Mar. 1945, Greenway & Eggeling 7219!;KENYA Elgon, 16 Mar. 1931, E.J. & C. Lugard 558!;TANZANIA Mwanza District Nassa, 20 Oct. 1952, Tanner 1086!;UGANDA Karamoja District Lodoketeminit, 21 Feb. 1963, Kerfoot 4820!;UGANDA Teso District Serere, Dec. 1932, Chandler 1050!KENYA Kilifi District Kilifi, 3 Oct. 1961, Irwin 453! & Sokoke Forest, 24 Aug. 1945, Jeffery 293!TANZANIA Arusha District Usa River, Dec. 1970, Richards 26506!;TANZANIA Mbeya District near Vwawa, Nov. 1969, Leedal 288!
Notes
Chromosome number 2n = 20.The bulb of D. altissima is poisonous.
DRIMIA altissima (L.f.) Ker Gawl. [family HYACINTHACEAE]
PDF

Related Materials