Albuca

Albuca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. The genus is distributed mainly in southern and eastern Africa, with some species occurring in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Plants of the genus are known commonly as slime lilies.
Description
These are perennial herbs growing from bulbs. The stem is sheathed in leaves with linear to strap-shaped blades. They can be 8 centimeters to well over one meter long and are flat or keeled. They are generally fleshy and sappy with a mucilaginous juice that inspired the common name "slime lilies". The flowers of some species are scented, especially at night. They are borne in racemes, usually slender, but flat-topped in some species. The flowers may be on stiff, or slender, nodding stalks, held erect or drooping. The six tepals are white to yellow and each has a green or brown stripe down the center. The outer three tepals spread open, while the inner three are connivent, curving inward so that the tips meet. There are six stamens, which have wings at the bases that wrap around the ovary at the center of the flower. Some species have six fertile stamens, and in others the outer stamens are staminodes which do not produce pollen. The fruit is a rounded or oval three-lobed capsule containing shiny black seeds.
The three inner tepals can be closed firmly, raising the question of how pollinators might reach the stigma inside to deposit pollen. In a study of the interaction between pollinators and Albuca flowers, leafcutter bees were observed prying open the tepals and squeezing through to obtain the nectar inside. In the process, they left pollen on the tips of the tepals, where it absorbed fluid, germinated, and fertilized ovules. This was the first known case of flower petals performing the function of the stigma. The only thing even distantly similar is Lacandonia where the pollen tube travels down the stamen, across the base and up the pistils to pollinate from below.
Systematics
The genus is circumscribed in two ways. The traditional genus Albuca is a monophyletic group of about 60 known species, and possibly about 100 in total. Other authorities have considered Albuca in a wider sense, including such genera as Stellarioides, Coilonox, Trimelopter, and Battandiera, for a total of 110 to 180 very heterogeneous species. All of these genera, including Albuca, have also been lumped together in Ornithogalum at times, but molecular phylogenetics studies support their separation.
Species
The genus, defined broadly, contains about 160 accepted species, according to the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families .
Albuca abyssinica Jacq. – Tropical & S. Africa, S.W. Arabian Peninsula
Albuca acuminata Baker – Namibia to W. Cape Province
Albuca adlami Baker – Northern Province ?
Albuca albucoides (Aiton) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca amboensis (Schinz) Oberm. – Namibia to Botswana
Albuca amoena (Batt.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – N.W. Sahara
Albuca anisocrispa Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – E. Cape Province
Albuca annulata Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – Eastern Cape Province
Albuca arenosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca aurea Jacq. – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca autumnula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca bakeri Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – S. Cape Province
Albuca barbata (Jacq.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca batteniana Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – S. Cape Province – wild coast albuca
Albuca bifolia Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca bifoliata R.A.Dyer – S. Cape Province
Albuca boucheri U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca bracteata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – E. Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal
Albuca bruce-bayeri U.Müll.-Doblies – Cape Province
Albuca buchananii Baker – S. Tropical Africa
Albuca canadensis (L.) F.M.Leight. – Cape Province
Albuca candida (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca caudata Jacq. – S.E. Cape Province
Albuca chartacea (Mart.-Azorín, M.B.Crespo & A.P.Dold) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Eastern Cape Province
Albuca chlorantha Welw. ex Baker – Angola
Albuca ciliaris U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province
Albuca clanwilliamae-gloria U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province
Albuca collina Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca comosa (Welw. ex Baker) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Angola
Albuca concordiana Baker – Namibia to Cape Province
Albuca consanguinea (Kunth) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca cooperi Baker – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca corymbosa Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca costatula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca craibii (Mart.-Azorín, M.B.Crespo & A.P.Dold) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – North-West Province
Albuca cremnophila van Jaarsv. & A.E.van Wyk – S. Cape Province
Albuca crinifolia Baker – KwaZulu-Natal
Albuca crispa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. Cape Province to Free state
Albuca crudenii Archibald – S. Cape Province
Albuca dalyae Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca darlingana U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca deaconii van Jaarsv. – KwaZulu-Natal
Albuca decipiens U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province
Albuca deserticola J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province
Albuca dilucula (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca dinteri U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia
Albuca donaldsonii Rendle – Ethiopia to Tanzania
Albuca dyeri (Poelln.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca echinosperma U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca engleriana K.Krause & Dinter – Namibia
Albuca etesiogaripensis U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province
Albuca fastigiata Dryand. – S. Cape Province
Albuca fibrotunicata Gledhill & Oyewole – Niger to Cameroon
Albuca flaccida Jacq. – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca foetida U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca fragrans Jacq. – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca gageoides K.Krause – Namibia
Albuca galeata Welw. ex Baker – Angola
Albuca gariepensis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – N. Cape Province
Albuca gentilii De Wild. – Zaïre
Albuca gethylloides (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca gildenhuysii (van Jaarsv.) van Jaarsv. - N.W. Cape Province
Albuca glandulifera J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province
Albuca glandulosa Baker – Cape Province
Albuca glauca Baker – Northern Province
Albuca glaucifolia (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca goswinii U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca grandis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Western Cape Province
Albuca hallii U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to W. Cape Province
Albuca hereroensis Schinz – Namibia
Albuca hesquaspoortensis U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca homblei De Wild. – Zaïre
Albuca humilis Baker – Free State to KwaZulu-Natal
Albuca juncifolia Baker – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca karachabpoortensis (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca karasbergensis Glover – Namibia
Albuca karooica U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to Cape Province
Albuca katangensis De Wild. – S. Zaïre
Albuca kirkii (Baker) Brenan – Kenya to S. Tropical Africa
Albuca kirstenii (J.C.Manning & Goldblatt) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca knersvlaktensis (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca kundelungensis De Wild. – Zaïre
Albuca lebaensis (van Jaarsv.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Angola
Albuca leucantha U.Müll.-Doblies – N.W. Cape Province
Albuca longifolia Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca longipes Baker – Cape Province
Albuca macowanii Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca malangensis Baker – Angola
Albuca massonii Baker – W. Cape Province
Albuca monarchos (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca monophylla Baker – Angola to Namibia
Albuca myogaloides Welw. ex Baker – Angola
Albuca namaquensis Baker – Namibia to Cape Province
Albuca nana Schönland – S. Cape Province
Albuca nathoana (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca navicula U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province
Albuca nelsonii N.E.Br. – E. Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal – Nelson's slime lily
Albuca nigritana (Baker) Troupin – W. Tropical Africa to Rwanda
Albuca obtusa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca osmynella (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca ovata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca papyracea J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca paradoxa Dinter – Namibia to W. Cape Province
Albuca paucifolia (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca pearsonii (F.M.Leight.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province
Albuca pendula B.Mathew – S.W. Saudi Arabia
Albuca pendulina (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca pentheri (Zahlbr.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca polyodontula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca polyphylla Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca prasina (Ker Gawl.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. Africa
Albuca prolifera J.H.Wilson – S. Cape Province
Albuca psammophora (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca pseudobifolia Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – Eastern Cape Province
Albuca pulchra (Schinz) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Angola to Botswana
Albuca rautanenii (Schinz) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca recurva (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca riebeekkasteelberganula U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca robertsoniana U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province
Albuca rogersii Schönland – S. Cape Province
Albuca roodeae (E.Phillips) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca rupestris Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – KwaZulu-Natal
Albuca sabulosa (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca scabrocostata (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca scabromarginata De Wild. – Zaïre
Albuca schinzii Baker – Namibia
Albuca schlechteri Baker – Northern Cape Province
Albuca schoenlandii Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca secunda (Jacq.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca seineri (Engl. & K.Krause) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. Africa
Albuca semipedalis Baker – Cape Province
Albuca setosa Jacq. – Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal
Albuca shawii Baker – S. Africa
Albuca somersetianum – S. Cape Province
Albuca spiralis L.f. – W. Cape Province
Albuca stapffii (Schinz) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca steudneri Schweinf. & Engl. – E. Sudan
Albuca strigosula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca stuetzeliana (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province
Albuca suaveolens (Jacq.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to Cape Province
Albuca subglandulosa (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province
Albuca subspicata Baker – Angola
Albuca sudanica A.Chev. – W. Tropical Africa to Sahara and W. Sudan
Albuca tenuifolia Baker – S. Cape Province
Albuca tenuis Knudtzon – Central Ethiopia to Kenya
Albuca thermarum van Jaarsv. – Cape Province
Albuca tortuosa Baker – E. Cape Province
Albuca toxicaria (C.Archer & R.H.Archer) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to Cape Province
Albuca trachyphylla U.Müll.-Doblies – N.W. Cape Province
Albuca tubiformis (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia
Albuca unifolia (Retz.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to Free State
Albuca unifoliata G.D.Rowley – W. Cape Province
Albuca variegata De Wild. – Zaïre
Albuca villosa U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Namibia to W. Cape Province
Albuca virens (Lindl.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Eritrea to S. Africa
Albuca viscosa L.f. – Namibia to W. Cape Province
Albuca vittata Ker Gawl. – Cape Province
Albuca volubilis (H.Perrier) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Madagascar
Albuca watermeyeri (L.Bolus) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province
Albuca weberlingiorum U.Müll.-Doblies – Cape Province
Albuca xanthocodon Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – Mpumalanga to S.E. Cape Province
Albuca yerburyi Ridl. – Yemen
Albuca zebrina Baker – W. Cape Province
Albuca zenkeri Engl. – Cameroon
Cultivation
The most popular species is Albuca nelsonii, which is evergreen and not frost-hardy. Such species are best suited to temperate areas, but can be grown in a conservatory or greenhouse, or in a sheltered position if light frosts might occur. However, some other species from alpine or Karoo-like areas are fairly frost-resistant and may be deciduous, and accordingly can stand a good deal of frost once established. Some in fact are winter-flowering. As a rule they do well in full sun in light, free-draining soil. Propagate from offsets or seed.
References
External links
Albuca. Red List of South African Plants. South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).
GRIN Species Records of Albuca. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).
Botanica Sistematica
Asparagaceae genera