A revision of Ornithogalum subgenus Aspasia section Aspasia, the chincherinchees (Hyacinthaceae)

Abstract

The species of Ornithogalum L. subgenus Aspasia section Aspasia are revised. Section Aspasia is defined by a rosette of lanceolate to oblong leaves; large, boat-shaped, ± petaloid bracts; moderately-sized white, yellow or orange flowers, sometimes with dark central markings; thin-textured, ellipsoid capsules that are enclosed by and concealed within the persistent, papery perianth; and angular, colliculate to echinulate seeds. Twelve species are recognized in the section, separable into three series based on seed morphology. O. conicum is redefined to exclude specimens from the Eastern Cape, which are recognized as O. synanthifolium, and O. conicum subsp. strictum is raised to species status as O. strictum. The circumscription of O. duhium is expanded to include O.fimbrimarginatum and O. subcoriaceum, previously distinguished on account of their longer styles.Collections from the Roggeveld Escarpment and Klein Roggeveld that were previously included in O. fimbrimaiginatum are recognized as the new species O. corticatum Mart.-Azarin, on the basis of their unusual, thick, cartilaginous outer tunics and puberulous adaxial leaf surface. O. ceresianum is removed from the synonomy of O. thyrsoides and recognized as a distinct species on account of its extensive glossy black tepal markings, winged inner filaments, and glossy black ovary. The poorly known O. puberuhim is more ftilly described based on several recent collections, and O. leeupoortense is neotypified in the absence of any original type material. O. rupestre and O. multifolium are regarded as colour forms of the same species, for which O. rupestre is the older name. Similarly, O. roussouwii is a depauperate, pale form of O. maculatum and is thus included in the synonomy of that species. The circumscription of O. pruinosum remains unchanged. The species O. haurii, O. diphyllum and O. sephtonii from the Drakensberg Mountains of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are excluded from section Aspasia on the basis of their turbinate capsules that are exposed by the reflexed tepals. Each species is fully described, with accompanying discussion of variation and relationships, a distribution map, and an illustration.