Watsonieae

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Asparagales

Familia: Iridaceae
Subfamilia: Crocoideae
Tribus: Watsonieae
Genera: Afrosolen – Codonorhiza – Cyanixia – Lapeirousia – Micranthus – Pillansia – Savannosiphon – Schizorhiza – Thereianthus – Watsonia – Zygotritonia
Name

Watsonieae Klatt, Abh. Naturf. Ges. Halle 15: 351. (1882)

Type genus: Watsonia Mill., Fig. Pl. Gard. Dict. 2: 184 (1758), nom. cons.

References
Primary references

Klatt, F.W. 1882. Abhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Halle 15: 351.

Additional references

Goldblatt, P., Rodríguez, A., , Davies, T.J., Manning, J.C., Van der Bank, M. & Savolainen, V. 2008. Iridaceae 'Out of Australasia'? Phylogeny, biogeography, and divergence time based on plastid DNA sequences. Systematic Botany 33(3): 495–508. DOI: 10.1600/036364408785679806 Paywall PDF Reference page.
Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J.C. 2015. Systematics and biology of Lapeirousia, Codonorhiza, Psilosiphon and Schizorhiza in southern Africa. Strelitzia 35: 1-143. PDF Reference page.
Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J.C. 2016. Nomenclatural adjustments in African plants 2. Bothalia: African Biodiversity & Conservation 46(1): 1-5. DOI: 10.4102/abc.v46i1.2024 Open access Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2020. Watsonieae. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Aug. 10.

Watsonieae is the second largest tribe in the subfamily Crocoideae (which is included in the family Iridaceae) and named after the best-known genus in it — Watsonia. The members in this group are widely distributed in Africa, mainly in its southern parts.

They sometimes have the typical sword-shaped leaves of the family Iridaceae, but sometimes, like in Lapeirousia pyramidalis or Lapeirousia divaricata, they are very specific. The rootstock is a corm.

The blooms are collected in inflorescence and sometimes have scent. They have six tepals which are identical in the most cases but sometimes has small differences. The ovary is 3-locular.

Most of these plants are not among the popular ornamental flowers. Watsonia is often used with this purpose, but the other genera are not very well known. However, they have many ornamental traits.
List of genera

Genera:[1]

Cyanixia
Lapeirousia
Micranthus
Pillansia
Savannosiphon
Thereianthus
Watsonia
Zygotritonia

References

Goldblatt, Peter; Rodriguez, Aaron; Powell, M. P.; Davies, Jonathan T.; Manning, John C.; van der Bank, M.; Savolainen, Vincent (2008). "Iridaceae 'Out of Australasia'? Phylogeny, Biogeography, and Divergence Time Based on Plastid DNA Sequences" (PDF). Systematic Botany. 33 (3): 495–508. doi:10.1600/036364408785679806. ISSN 0363-6445.