Cyrtanthus.
Family Amaryllidaceae > Subfamily Amaryllidoideae > tribe Cyrtantheae.
Synonyms include Anoiganthus, Cyrtanthinae, Gastronema, Monella and Vallota.
Cyrtanthus is the only genus with around 60 species native to Africa.
Perennial, clump forming plants, growing from bulbs.
Species can be deciduous or evergreen and flower at different times.
There are some dwarf forms.
Dark green leaves vary from narrow and strap-like to wide and twisted.
Leafless inflorescence stems are up to 30 cm high.
There are up to 8 flowers in an umbel-like head.
The 4 cm long flowers are drooping.
Most flower in summer to autumn.
Many species have narrow, straight or curved tubes with short flared lobes.
Others are bell-shaped or trumpet or funnel-shaped with wide and flaring lobes.
Widely grown for the flowers is Cyrtanthus elatus previously named Vallota speciosa.
Known as the Fire lily it has bright scarlet or pink flowers.
Other species are bright yellow, greenish-yellow, cream, orange or white.
There are numerous hybrids.
J.F.
