the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra including new species, biological notes, and a new infrageneric classification
Author
Manning, John C.
Author
Goldblatt, Peter
text
Adansonia
2001
3
23
1
59
108
journal article
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5180119
1639-4798
5180119
20.
Romulea tetragona
M.P. de Vos
Fl. Pl. Africa
29: pl. 1136 (1952);
J
.
S
.
African Bot.
,
Suppl.
9: 259 (1972);
Fl.
S
.
Africa
7(2), fasc. 2: 65 (1983). —
Type
:
de Vos
1569,
South Africa
,
Western Cape
,
Ceres
,
Theronsberg Pass
(holo-,
NBG
!)
.
Plants
8-30 cm
high, stem subterranean; corm with a crescent-shaped basal ridge. Leaves 4-6, basal, 4-winged, ciliate,
1.5-7 mm
diam.; outer bracts with narrow membranous margins widening above and the apex membranous, hairy on the lower part, inner bracts with wide membranous margins. Flowers with hairy peduncles, rose to lilac or pink with dark bands around the yellowish cup, unscented, tepals elliptic to oblanceolate,
12-28 mm
long; filaments
3-4 mm
long, diverging at the tips, anthers
2-6 mm
long, mostly dark brown, occasionally yellow, curving inward. Fruiting peduncles hairy, curved, later straightening. Flowering: Aug.-Sep.
Romulea tetragona
occurs on stony clay soils in the western karoo of
Northern Cape Province
and Cold Bokkeveld of
Western Cape Province
, extending from the Hantamsberg to Tweedside. It is readily recognized by its unusual winged leaves, hairy peduncles and pink flower. Originally placed with
R
.
hirta
by
DE VOS (1972)
in sect.
Hirtae
on account of their similar leaf structure,
R
.
tetragona
has the corm typical of subgenus
Romulea
sect.
Ciliatae
and is accordingly placed here.