Fig. 54: Recently identified as a 4-flowered Congo Crinum species allied to Crinum nubicum (Chev.) L. S. Hannibal
(ex C. humilis Chev. non Herb.), native to Zaire (Congo). Others
are found throughout
the tropics from Chad and down into south central Africa. These small
two-flowered Crinum are related to C. distichum Herb., or
A. ornatum Aiton (Syn. C. brousonetii sensu Herb.) and
represented by Kew specimens. This is a a unique genetic race. Several
forms have their umbels subsurface like C. acule Baker. Recently
F. N. Hepper decided that C. scabrum and all allied tropical forms
were a single common species: namely C. ornatum (Aiton) Bury, with
the original A. ornata Aiton specimen as the holotype. For plant
breeders this lumping rather confuses the issue since their various
crossings indicate specific types which best be identified by their classical
names.
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Fig. 54: Recently identified as a 4-flowered Congo Crinum species allied to Crinum nubicum (Chev.) L. S. Hannibal
(ex C. humilis Chev. non Herb.), native to Zaire (Congo). Others
are found throughout
the tropics from Chad and down into south central Africa. These small
two-flowered Crinum are related to C. distichum Herb., or
A. ornatum Aiton (Syn. C. brousonetii sensu Herb.) and
represented by Kew specimens. This is a a unique genetic race. Several
forms have their umbels subsurface like C. acule Baker. Recently
F. N. Hepper decided that C. scabrum and all allied tropical forms
were a single common species: namely C. ornatum (Aiton) Bury, with
the original A. ornata Aiton specimen as the holotype. For plant
breeders this lumping rather confuses the issue since their various
crossings indicate specific types which best be identified by their classical
names.