Plant Family Characters | Haemodoraceae

Southern Africa

Haemodoraceae

Commelinidae---Commelinales
(Liliidae—Liliales (outdated classification))

Updated with iNat links 25 June 2018

Distinguishing Features
1. Underground stem usually has red cell-sap (phenalenones) (no other family in sA contains this sap)
2. Three stamens opposite inner tepals (only other petaloid Monocot family with three stamens is Iridaceae, but they are opposite the outer tepals)

Full description
Compiled by Robert Archer

Habit Perennial, usually tufted, herbs, Stem underground - short rhizome, tuber, or corm, often with red cell-sap (phenalenones). Leaves radical (arising at ground level), sometimes cauline (along the stem), distichous (opposite and lying in the same plane as the leaf pairs above and below), linear (thin, more or less same width for entire length) or ensiform (sword-shaped), sheathing at base. Inflorescence cymes (oldest flower at apex), racemes or panicles, sometimes subumbellate, rarely solitary Flowers bisexual, regular or ± irregular, often glandular-pubescent (covered in glandular hairs) or villous (woolly). Perianth lobes or segments 6, in 1 or 2 whorls; tube absent to long, straight or curved; persistent. Stamens 3 (in all indigenous sA genera, 6 in Anigozanthos, an Australian invader), opposite inner perianth segments; filaments free; anthers 2-thecous, basifixed or versatile, often sagittate (arrow-shaped), opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, inferior, or subinferior, (1, 2), 3-locular, with 1-numerous axile ovules; style filiform; stigma apical, small or trifid. Fruit a loculicidal or septicidal capsule or indehiscent. Seeds solitary to many in each locule.

Worldwide (sthn Afr., Australia and tropical America) 14 genera, ± 100 species; sthn Afr.: 4 genera (1 exotic), ± 11species.

Key to southern African genera

1a. Stamens 6                                                                                    *Anigozanthos

1b. Stamens 3                                                                                                  2

2a Rootstock a stoloniferous corm; ovary superior, with 1 fertile locule; slender plants with sparse glandular pubescence on raceme, eastern forests                            Barberetta

2b Rootstock a rhizome; ovary superior, inferior, or subinferior, with 1-3 fertile locules; strong, tufted plants variously pubescent, Western Cape extending to PE                            3

3a Ovary inferior; one of the stamens with a larger anther on a shorter filament; leaves ribbed                                                                                                  Dilatris

3b Ovary superior; stamens equal; leaves plicate (folded like a fan)              Wachendorfia

Haemodoraceae on iNaturalist

David Gwynne-Evans has kindly allowed me to use some of his photos.
Tony Rebelo (unwittingly) contributed the stem photo.
Robert (Cassine) generously helped with the genus key, proofreading and some references. Thank you Robert!

References:

Heywood, V. 1993. Flowering plants of the world. Oxford University Press, New York.
Heywood, V, Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A. & Seberg, O. 2007. Flowering plant families of the world. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Leistner, O. A. 2000. Seed Plants of southern Africa: families and genera. Strelitzia 10.