Genus Sparaxis

Sparaxis Ker Gawl., Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 225 (1804).

The standard cyclopedia of horticulture, 1919 "SPARAXIS (Greek word referring to the torn or lacerated spathes, a character which distinguishes this genus from Tritonia). Iridaceae. WAND-FLOWER. Bulbs or corms with fibrous coating, the plants suitable for outdoor planting but grown mostly under glass.

Stems simple or slightly branched: Ivs. few, flat, sword-like or broadly linear, erect or falcate: spathes few, remote or sometimes solitary, broad-striate or frequently marked with short brown lines: fls. 1 to a spathe, sessile, rather large, yellow; perianth-tube short and slender, 6-lobed; ovary 3-celled: caps, membranaceous, ovoid or oblong, included in the spathe. About 3 species, Cape Colony, S. Afr. Sparaxis is a group of spring-blooming Cape bulbs of the Ixia tribe, with spikes of 6-petaled, more or less funnel-shaped fls. 1-2 in. across and exhibiting an extraordinary range of color and throat - markings. These plants are less popular than ixias, which they much resemble. The plants are dwarfer and more compact than ixias, usually 6-12 in. high, the spikes are shorter and fewer-fld., and the blossoms are sometimes larger. Sparaxis is essentially distinguished from Ixia and other allied genera by the subregular perianth, unilateral and arcuate stamens, and scarious lacerated spathe-valves.

Although a few plants of sparaxis are occasionally cultivated in America by bulb-fanciers, one may search through many American catalogues without finding them listed. The Dutch bulb-growers offer twenty - five distinct kinds, which is perhaps a quarter of the number of varieties of ixias in cultivation. According to J. G. Baker, there is "only one species in a broad sense, varying indefinitely in the size and coloring of the flowers." For practical purposes Baker recognizes the three species given below; of these the most important and variable is S. tricolor. Sparaxis pulcherrima of the Dutch trade is properly Dierama pulcherrima, Baker. This grows as much as 6 feet high and has pendulous bright blood-purple flowers but apparently with pale rose and perhaps other varieties (also a white variety). It is distinguished by its pendulous flowers with regular perianth, simple style-branches, equilateral stamens, and large bracts which are not laciniate. B.M. 5555. F.S. 17:1810. Gn. 20:588; 44, p. 281. G. 16:386; 29:197. G.L. 27:152. This plant is said by F. W. Burbidge to be "perhaps the most graceful of all the Cape irids." (See Vol. II, page 1007.)"

See below:

• Botanical Plates
• Accepted Species
• References
• Image Gallery
• Further Reading in Library
• Hybrids

Botanical Plates:

Accepted Species:

• Sparaxis auriculata Goldblatt & J.C.Manning, Bothalia 29: 59 (1999)
• Sparaxis bulbifera (L.) Ker Gawl., Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 226 (1804).
• Sparaxis caryophyllacea Goldblatt, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79: 156 (1992)
• Sparaxis elegans (Sweet) Goldblatt, J. S. African Bot. 35: 233 (1969).
• Sparaxis fragrans (Jacq.) Ker Gawl., Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 225 (1804)
• Sparaxis galeata Ker Gawl., Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 225 (1804).
• Sparaxis grandiflora (D.Delaroche) Ker Gawl., Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 225 (1804).
  • Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. acutiloba Goldblatt, J. S. African Bot. 35: 245 (1969)
  • Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. fimbriata (Lam.) Goldblatt, J. S. African Bot. 35: 242 (1969)
  • Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. grandiflora.
  • Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. violacea (Eckl.) Goldblatt, J. S. African Bot. 35: 244 (1969)
• Sparaxis maculosa Goldblatt, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79: 153 (1992)
• Sparaxis metelerkampiae (L.Bolus) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning, Bothalia 29: 61 (1999)
• Sparaxis parviflora (G.J.Lewis) Goldblatt, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79: 155 (1992)
• Sparaxis pillansii L.Bolus, S. African Gard. 22: 57 (1932)
• Sparaxis roxburghii (Baker) Goldblatt, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79: 156 (1992)
• Sparaxis tricolor (Schneev.) Ker Gawl., Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 225 (1804).
• Sparaxis variegata (Sweet) Goldblatt, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79: 157 (1992).
• Sparaxis villosa (Burm.f.) Goldblatt, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79: 156 (1992)

References:

Articles about Sparaxis: Garden and Forest, 1897 References: Flores

Image Gallery:

Sparaxis auriculata Sparaxis bulbifera Sparaxis caryophyllacea Sparaxis elegans Sparaxis fragrans Sparaxis galeata Sparaxis grandiflora Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. acutiloba Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. fimbriata Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. grandiflora Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. violacea Sparaxis maculosa Sparaxis metelerkampiae Sparaxis parviflora Sparaxis pillansii Sparaxis roxburghii Sparaxis tricolor Sparaxis variegata Sparaxis villosa

Hybrids and Named cultivars:

Further Reading for Sparaxis:

-- BobPries - 2013-12-11