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.)"

15 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).

Articles about Sparaxis: Garden and Forest, 1897

References: Flores

Further Reading for Sparaxis

-- BobPries - 2013-12-11