Urgineoideae

Martínez-Azorín, Mario, Crespo, Manuel B., Alonso-Vargas, María Ángeles, Pinter, Michael, Crouch, Neil R., Dold, Anthony P., Mucina, Ladislav, Pfosser, Martin & Wetschnig, Wolfgang, 2023, A generic monograph of the Hyacinthaceae subfamily Urgineoideae, Phytotaxa 610 (1), pp. 1-143 : 18-20

Identification key of genera in Urgineoideae

1. Anthers dehiscing by apical pores or slits extending to the middle ................................................................................................. 2

− Anthers dehiscing longitudinally along their whole length .............................................................................................................. 6

2. Tepals with green basal markings adaxially ..................................................................................................................................... 3

− Tepals lacking green basal markings adaxially ................................................................................................................................. 4

3. Filaments of stamens distinctly connate for most of their length to form a tube that surrounds the gynoecium above the perigone; tepals white with green maculae forming a basal green ring ..................................................................................... 1. Aulostemon

− Filaments of stamens free above the perigone; tepals purplish-pink with green and white, unconnected, basal markings ................ ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 13. Mucinaea

4. Leaves 1–2(–3), up to 4 cm long, ovate, flattened and appressed to the ground, velutinous on the adaxial side, with longitudinal furrows ........................................................................................................................................................................... 22. Striatula

− Leaves usually more numerous and longer, 2–40 cm long, linear-elongated and suberect, glabrous, smooth ................................ 5

5. Anthers 5–6 mm long, connate at least in the upper portion to form a large conical yellow structure; leaves flattened with a distinct broad keel on the abaxial side; flowers stellate with tepals 7–9 mm long ............................................................ 17. Sagittanthera

− Anthers 1–3 mm long, free, although connivent to the style; leaves linear-filiform; flowers campanulate-urceolate, rarely stellate but then tepals up to 6 mm long .......................................................................................................................... 15. Rhadamanthus

6. Inflorescence distinctly branched with at least secondary branches ................................................................................................ 7

− Inflorescence not branched, always simple racemes ........................................................................................................................ 8

7. Ovary conical, semi-inferior in appearance; inflorescence succulent; flowers lasting some days; tepals remain at the base of the mature capsule ................................................................................................................................................................... 4. Bowiea

− Ovary ovoid, clearly superior; inflorescence never succulent; flowers usually lasting one day; tepals cohering above to form a cap at the top of the mature capsule.................................................................................................................................. 18. Schizobasis

8. Flowers small (4–7 mm long); tepals connate for most of their length, tubular, nodding; inflorescence 1(–2)-flowered with a pair of subopposite bracts; stigma with six, minute, erect teeth .......................................................................................... 12. Litanthus

− Flowers larger or with a different morphology; inflorescence usually with more flowers; bracts never subopposite; stigma indistinct to trilobed .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

9. Flowers with only 3 stamens corresponding to the inner whorl .................................................................................... 25. Triandra

− Flowers with 6 stamens .................................................................................................................................................................. 10

10. Flowers verpertine-nocturnal, nodding with strongly reflexed tepals ............................................................................................ 11

− Flowers diurnal, patent to suberect (rarely nodding), with erect to spreading tepals (sometimes reflexed) .................................. 15

11. Filaments adnate for ¼ to ½ of tepal length ................................................................................................................ 10. Iosanthus

− Filaments free to shortly adnate to tepals (less than ¼ of tepal length) ......................................................................................... 12

12. Leaves narrowly linear and distinctly coiled distally; filaments narrow, straight or slightly incurved, connivent to the style and crossing each other along the upper third ................................................................................................................ 20. Spirophyllos

− Leaves narrowly linear or wide and flattened but never distinctly coiled distally; filaments with a different morphology and/or disposition ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

13. Filaments straight, suberect to spreading ........................................................................................................................ 9. Indurgia

− Filaments sigmoid, incurved and connivent to the style along the middle portion and spreading above ...................................... 14

14. Filaments narrow and distinctly constricted at base to join the tepals; bracteoles absent; bulb scales compact ... 29. Vera-duthiea

− Filaments distinctly widened along the basal portion to enclose the ovary; bracteoles present and distinct but usually early caducous; bulb scales loose ....................................................................................................................................................... 24. Thuranthos

15. Leaves strongly keeled, with distinct purple maculations at base; dehisced anthers circinate; bulb scales loose .......... 30. Zingela

− Leaves not strongly keeled, nor maculate at base; dehisced anthers not circinate; bulb scales compact or rarely loose .............. 16

16. Basal leaves surrounded by sheathing cataphylls bearing transversally raised dark ribs; style bent downwards and usually distinctly sigmoid, with papillose stigma ........................................................................................................................................ 23. Tenicroa

− Basal leaves not surrounded by sheathing cataphylls bearing transversally raised dark ribs (rarely barred but then lacking prominent ribs and showing papillate filaments); style erect or rarely declinate, not distinctly sigmoid, with minute to capitate stigma .......... ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

17. Inflorescence curved to nodding at early development stages; raceme usually short and widely corymbose to subglobose, rarely subspiciform and compact; seeds tetrahedrally folded with narrowly winged angles .................................................. 2. Austronea

− Inflorescence erect at all development stages; raceme more elongated, racemose-spiciform, very rarely subcorymbose; seeds flattened and usually windged, not tetrahedrally folded ................................................................................................................ 18

18. Tepals long connate for most of their length, rarely to the middle; flowers urceolate or campanulate, lasting for more than two days (up to 7 days) ........................................................................................................................................................... 16. Rhodocodon

− Tepals free or fused to 2/5 of their length; flowers stellate to rarely campanulate, usually lasting for one or two days ............... 19

19. Tepals connate to 2/5 of their length forming a distinct tube ......................................................................................................... 20

− Tepals free or very shortly connate in an indistinct tube to 1 mm long ......................................................................................... 23

20. Bracteoles present and usually well developed .............................................................................................................................. 21

− Bracteoles lacking .......................................................................................................................................................................... 22

21. Flowers stellate, patent to suberect; free portion of tepals spreading-patent; ovary mostly visible from outside; stamens exerted and spreading....................................................................................................................................................................... 26. Urginavia

− Flowers campanulate, mostly nodding; free portion of tepals erect; ovary included in the campanulate perianth; stamens included and connivent to the style ................................................................................................................................14. Rhadamanthopsis

22. Free portion of tepals elongated and narrowly lanceolate-oblong to sub-spathulate and usually strongly reflexed; filaments elongated-exerted and connivent to the style (rarely spreading above the connivent portion); ovary included in the perianth tube .. ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5. Drimia

− Free portion of tepals spreading-patent and with different morphology; stamens exerted and spreading-incurved; ovary mostly visible from outside .................................................................................................................................................. 28. Urgineopsis

23. Ovary and style white or sometimes tinged with violet; filaments fusiform and inflated in the middle, distinctly papillate on the lower portion .................................................................................................................................................................. 7. Fusifilum

− Ovary green to orange-yellow, never white; filaments not clearly fusiform, smooth or rarely papillate ....................................... 24

24. Dehiscent, dry, yellow capsules disposed on green, long lasting and photosynthetic pedicels; basal bracts usually long spurred, to 5 cm long ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3. Boosia

− Pedicels and capsules drying simultaneously; basal bracts usually with shorter spurs................................................................... 25

25. Seeds polygonal or irregularly compressed, 1‒2.4(3) mm long; capsules 3‒6 mm long; leaf terete, mostly solitary ........................ ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 8. Geschollia

− Seeds and/or capsules larger or with different morphology; leaves terete or flat, commonly several ........................................... 26

26. Flower buds subglobose and nodding; flowers disposed on long, patent to suberect pedicels; leaves mostly flat, wide and short, rarely linear subcanaliculated ............................................................................................................................... 15. Rhadamanthus

− Flowers and leaves not as above .................................................................................................................................................... 27

27. Seeds narrowly lanceolate, about 3 times longer than wide; leaves synanthous; bulb scales commonly loose; flowers carneous or greenish, subcampanulate; tepals suberect, connivent at base and spreading apically ................................................... 31. Zulusia

− Seeds subellipsoid, to twice longer than wide; leaves mostly hysteranthous or rarely synanthous; bulb scales compact; flowers white to yellowish, stellate with spreading tepals or rarely subcampanulate ................................................................................. 28

28. Inflorescence (including peduncle) short, reaching up to 10 cm above ground level .................................................................... 29

− Inflorescence (including peduncle) commonly longer than 15 cm above ground level ................................................................. 31

29. Capsules on laterally recurved pedicels ............................................................................................................................ 6. Ebertia

− Capsules on erect pedicels .............................................................................................................................................................. 30

30. Capsules with the valves reflexed from the base at dehiscence to widely expose the seeds ...................................... 10. Iosanthus

− Capsules with the valves not reflexed at dehiscence ..................................................................................................... 11. Ledurgia

31. Bulb deep red inside; withered tepals papery, translucent; bracts shortly oblong-obovate to 3 mm long, navicular; peduncle above ground level short, usually as long as or shorter than the raceme, rarely elongated .................................................. 19. Sekanama

− Bulb white to yellowish inside, rarely with a reddish tinge; withered tepals not papery and translucent; bracts usually narrowly triangular, long acuminate, non-navicular; peduncle usually elongated ........................................................................................ 32

32. Bracteoles present and usually well developed, but sometimes early caducous ............................................................................ 33

− Bracteoles lacking .......................................................................................................................................................................... 34

33. Bulb scales producing abundant whitish silky threads when broken; withered perigone remaining at the base of developing capsule ......................................................................................................................................................................... 26. Urginavia

− Bulb scales not producing threads when broken; withered tepals basally circumcissile remaining as a cap at the top of the developing capsule .............................................................................................................................................................................. 21. Squilla

34. Style subclavate, usually thickened, as long as or only slightly longer than the ovary; stigma truncate and trigonous; capsule with apiculate valves; plants from India and neighboring countries ....................................................................................... 9. Indurgia

− Style filiform, about twice the ovary length; stigma minute; capsule valves not apiculate; plants from western Mediterranean Basin ............................................................................................................................................................................... 27. Urginea