Brunsvigien

Brunsvigien
	Empress Josephines Brunsvigie ( Brunsvigia josephinae ), inflorescence
Systematics
	Monocots
Order :	Asparagales (Asparagales)
Family :	Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae)
Subfamily :	Amaryllidoideae
Tribe :	Amaryllideae
Genre :	Brunsvigien
Scientific name
	Brunsvigia
	Heist.

The brunsvigia ( Brunsvigia ) are a genus of flowering plants in the family of Amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae). The approximately 21 species are common in southern Africa .

description

Illustration of Brunsvigia grandiflora

Illustration by Brunsvigia grandiflora ; the structure of the inflorescence with the bracts and the stalked flowers is well shown.

Appearance and leaves

Brunsvigia species are perennial herbaceous plants . These geophytes have no green leaves in the dry season . In plants in natural locations with winter rainy season , the leaves only sprout after blooming; at the locations with summer rainy season, the times of leaf and inflorescence growth overlap. They usually form underground onions as survival organs; at Brunsvigia herrei and Brunsvigia josephinae they are half above ground. The onion skin is mostly tan and brittle, whereas in the species Brunsvigia josephiniae and Brunsvigia litoralis it is paper-like and brown.

On fully grown plants, the basal and more or less two-line leaves are elongated to tongue-shaped and wide. The species with small bulbs ( Brunsvigia comptonii , Brunsvigia namaquana and Brunsvigia radula ) only develop two to three leaves per plant, most other species have four or more leaves. The largest number of leaves is found in Brunsvigia josephiniae, around 20 . In most species, the leaves lie flat and nestle against the ground. Only in the species Brunsvigia grandiflora , Brunsvigia herrei , Brunsvigia josephiniae , Brunsvigia litoralis and Brunsvigia undulata do the leaves stand out clearly from the ground. In most species, the leaf surfaces are smooth and hairless. In contrast, the two species Brunsvigia namaquana and Brunsvigia radula , native to Namaqualand, are straw-colored, with bristly hairs; in some populations of the species Brunsvigia striata they are softly hairy.

Inflorescences and flowers

The flowering time in southern Africa is in very different parts of the year, depending on the species. The inflorescences are very noticeable. In most species, the pedicels of the individual flowers protrude radially outwards and together form a spherical inflorescence. In the species Brunsvigia josephiniae , Brunsvigia litoralis and Brunsvigia orientalis, however , the flower stalks are curved, and in the three species Brunsvigia elandsmontana , Brunsvigia marginata and Brunsvigia pulchra the inflorescences are compact and brush-shaped. The individual flowers are usually ruby red to scarlet red (species Brunsvigia josephiniae , Brunsvigia litoralis , Brunsvigia marginata and Brunsvigia orientalis ) or pale pink to bright pink. In some species the whole inflorescence is strikingly colored. A characteristic feature of the species Brunsvigia bosmaniae and Brunsvigia gregaria is the dark veins on the tepals .

The hermaphrodite flowers are threefold. There are six bracts per flower , which stand free or are partially fused into a short tube. In the species with dense, compact inflorescences, the individual flowers are usually radial symmetry and trumpet-shaped, in the species with loose, open inflorescences zygomorphic flowers predominate . The flowers of the species Brunsvigia comptonii , Brunsvigia namaquana and Brunsvigia radula are very asymmetrical, as all but one of the bracts are curved upwards. The flowers of all Brunsvigia species produce nectar ; in many species they also smell.

Fruits and seeds

The water-containing, non-dormant seeds are contained in spindle-shaped or triangular, often strongly ribbed capsule fruits .

Inflorescences of Brunsvigia orientalis in the natural habitat; it blooms in the leafless state

Occurrence

The approximately 21 Brunsvigia species are widespread in southern Africa . They predominantly occur in semi-arid locations. More than half of the species are native to regions with the rainy season in winter, some species are found in regions with the summer rainy season (area around the Drakensberg and KwaZulu-Natal ). The distribution area extends from the coasts to the mountains in the interior of the continent. Some species thrive in special locations on special substrates on quartzite veins, dolomite outcrops, mussel beds and sandy areas. Few species thrive in seasonally humid depressions, mainly in the eastern summer rain area. Some species have a wide range, but some species ( Brunsvigia elandsmontana , Brunsvigia herrei , Brunsvigia namaquana , Brunsvigia pulchra , Brunsvigia radula , Brunsvigia striata and Brunsvigia undulata ) are naturally rare.

Leaves of the Brunsvigia marginata

Brunsvigia striata inflorescence

Systematics

The genus Brunsvigia was established in 1755 by the German botanist Lorenz Heister in Description of a New Sex , p. 3, Braunschweig. The generic name Brunsvigia honors Duke Karl I of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel , who promoted research on plants, especially the species Brunsvigia orientalis that occurs in the Cape .

The genus Brunsvigia belongs to the subtribe Strumariinae from the tribe Amaryllideae in the subfamily Amaryllidoideae within the family of Amaryllidaceae . It used to be part of the Liliaceae family.

There are around 21 species of Brunsvigia :

Brunsvigia bosmaniae F.M.Leight. : It is distributed from Namibia to the South African provinces of the North Cape and Western Cape . It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia comptonii W.F.Barker : It is distributed from Bushmanland to the Tanqua-Karoo and Laingsburg in the South African provinces of Northern Cape and Western Cape. Populations vary from less than 100 specimens in small open spots to a few thousand specimens along seasonal flood plains. In 2013 it was classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia elandsmontana Snijman : She is endemic to the fynbos in Elandsberg in the Western Cape . It is only known from one location on transition soils between sandstone and clay. Similar locations have been converted to wheat fields over the past 70 years. Less than 700 specimens are known and these are endangered by grazing game. It is rated “Critically Endangered” in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa.
Brunsvigia gariepensis Snijman : It was first described in 2012 from the North Cape. This endemic is only known from two localities in Bushmanland on Inselberg between Aggeneys and Pofadder ; maybe there is also a third location. It only thrives on rocky quartzite slopes and in the summit area of the island mountains. The stocks of one site have been reduced by mining and the other by road construction. In 2013 it was rated “endangered” in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa.
Brunsvigia grandiflora Lindl. : It is common in the South African provinces of Free State , KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga . It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia gregaria R.A. Dyer : It only occurs in the Eastern Cape. The stocks are considered stable. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia lord Leight. ex WFBarker : It occurs from southern Namibia to northern Namaqualand in the North Cape. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa as "vulnerable" = "endangered".
Empress Josephines Brunsvigie ( Brunsvigia josephinae (Redouté) Ker Gawl. ): It occurs from Nieuwoudtville to Baviaanskloof in the Eastern and Northern Cape. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa as "vulnerable" = "endangered".
Brunsvigia kirkii Baker : It iswidespreadfrom Tanzania to Malawi .
Brunsvigia litoralis R.A. Dyer : It occurs along the coast from the Great Brak River to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern and Western Cape. The stocks in the small, isolated sites are continuously decreasing. It was rated “endangered” in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa.
Brunsvigia marginata (Jacq.) WTAiton : It occurs only in the Western Cape. The stocks are considered stable. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia namaquana D.Müll.-Doblies & U.Müll.-Doblies : It occurs from Steinkopf and Aggeneys to Wallekraal and Loeriesfontein in the North Cape. The stocks are considered stable. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia natalensis Baker : It is distributed in southern Africa in Lesotho , Swaziland and in the South African provinces of Free State, Gauteng , KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia orientalis (L.) Aiton ex Eckl. : It occurs in the Western Cape. Your stocks are considered stable. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia pulchra (WFBarker) D.Müll.-Doblies & U.Müll.-Doblies : Only eight locations of this endemic are known in the northern Namaqualand from Kamiesberg to Steinkopf in the North Cape. It was rated “Rare” = “rare, but not endangered” in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa.
Brunsvigia radula (Jacq.) WTAiton : This endemic occurs only near Knersvlakte in the Western Cape. It is only known from five localities with less than 1000 specimens in total. The stocks are continuously decreasing for a variety of reasons. It was rated “endangered” in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa.
Brunsvigia radulosa Herb. : It is common in southern Africa in Botswana , Lesotho and in large parts of South Africa. In 2013 it was classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia striata (Jacq.) Aiton (Syn .: Brunsvigia minor Lindl. ): It occurs in the Eastern Cape . Your stocks are considered stable. It is classified in the Red List of Endangered Species in South Africa as “least concern” = “not endangered”.
Brunsvigia undulata F.M.Leight. : This rare species is only known from six localities in the Mahwaqa Mountains and south of Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal. It was rated “Rare” = “rare, but not endangered” in the Red List of Endangered Plant Species in South Africa.

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Deirdré Anne Snijman, April 2005: Brunsvigia Heist. at PlantZAfrica from the South African National Biodiversity Institute = SANBI.
Deirdré Anne Snijman: A revision of the Brunsvigia radula-group (Amaryllidaceae: Amaryllideae) of species in South Africa, including the description of Brunsvigia gariepensis a new species from Bushmanland in Northern Cape. In: South African Journal of Botany , Volume 79, 2012, pp. 106-116.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Deirdré Anne Snijman, April 2005: Brunsvigia Heist. at PlantZAfrica from the South African National Biodiversity Institute = SANBI.
^ Brunsvigia at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
^ Brunsvigia in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s species list for Brunsvigia in the Red List of South African Plants
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Data sheet at World Checklist of Selected Plant Families of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on October 16, 2014

Web links

Commons : Brunsvigia - collection of images, videos and audio files

Entry at bulbsociety.org .

[plantzafrica-1] Deirdré Anne Snijman, April 2005: Brunsvigia Heist. at PlantZAfrica from the South African National Biodiversity Institute = SANBI.

[tropicos-2] Brunsvigia at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis

[GRIN-3] Brunsvigia in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved February 8, 2012.

[RedListSA-4] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s species list for Brunsvigia in the Red List of South African Plants

[WCSP-5] Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Data sheet at World Checklist of Selected Plant Families of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on October 16, 2014