Albuca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. The genus is distributed mainly in southern and eastern Africa, with some species occurring in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Plants of the genus are known commonly as slime lilies.
Description These are perennial herbs growing from bulbs. The stem is sheathed in leaves with linear to strap-shaped blades. They can be 8 cm to well over 1 m long, and are flat or keeled. They are generally fleshy and sappy with a mucilaginous juice that inspired the common name "slime lilies". The flowers of some species are scented, especially at night. They are borne in racemes, usually slender, but flat-topped in some species. The flowers may be on stiff, or slender, nodding stalks, held erect or drooping. The six tepals are white to yellow, and each has a green or brown stripe down the centre. The outer three tepals spread open, while the inner three are connivent, curving inward so that the tips meet. There are six stamens, which have wings at the bases that wrap around the ovary at the centre of the flower. Some species have six fertile stamens, and in others the outer stamens are staminodes which do not produce pollen. The fruit is a rounded or oval three-lobed capsule containing shiny black seeds.
The three inner tepals can be closed firmly, raising the question of how pollinators might reach the stigma inside to deposit pollen. In a study of the interaction between pollinators and Albuca flowers, leafcutter bees were observed prying open the tepals and squeezing through to obtain the nectar inside. In the process, they left pollen on the tips of the tepals, where it absorbed fluid, germinated, and fertilized ovules. This was the first known case of flower petals performing the function of the stigma. The only thing even distantly similar is Lacandonia schismatica where the pollen tube travels down the stamen, across the base and up the pistils to pollinate from below.
Systematics The genus is circumscribed in two ways. The traditional genus Albuca is a monophyletic group of about 60 known species, and possibly about 100 in total. Other authorities have considered Albuca in a wider sense, including such genera as Stellarioides, Coilonox, Trimelopter, and Battandiera, with a total of 110 to 180 very heterogeneous species; All of these genera, including Albuca, have also been lumped together in Ornithogalum at times, but molecular phylogenetics studies support their separation.
Species The genus, as defined in the Plants of the World Online database, contains 167 accepted species .
Albuca abyssinica Jacq. – Tropical & S. Africa, S.W. Arabian Peninsula Albuca acuminata Baker – Namibia to W. Cape Province Albuca adlami Baker – Northern Province Albuca albucoides (Aiton) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province Albuca amboensis (Schinz) Oberm. – Namibia to Botswana Albuca amoena (Batt.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – N.W. Sahara Albuca anisocrispa Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – E. Cape Province Albuca annulata Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – Eastern Cape Province Albuca arenosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca aurea Jacq. – S.W. Cape Province Albuca autumnula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province Albuca bakeri Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – S. Cape Province Albuca barbata (Jacq.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca batteniana Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – S. Cape Province – wild coast albuca Albuca bifolia Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca bifoliata R.A.Dyer – S. Cape Province Albuca boucheri U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca bracteata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – E. Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal Albuca bruce-bayeri U.Müll.-Doblies – Cape Province Albuca buchananii Baker – S. Tropical Africa Albuca buffelspoortensis van Jaarsv. – Western Cape Albuca canadensis (L.) F.M.Leight. – Cape Province Albuca candida (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca caudata Jacq. – S.E. Cape Province Albuca chartacea (Mart.-Azorín, M.B.Crespo & A.P.Dold) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Eastern Cape Province Albuca chlorantha Welw. ex Baker – Angola Albuca ciliaris U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province Albuca clanwilliamae-gloria U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province Albuca collina Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca concordiana Baker – Namibia to Cape Province Albuca consanguinea (Kunth) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province Albuca cooperi Baker – S.W. Cape Province Albuca corymbosa Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca costatula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca craibii (Mart.-Azorín, M.B.Crespo & A.P.Dold) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – North-West Province Albuca cremnophila van Jaarsv. & A.E.van Wyk – S. Cape Province Albuca crinifolia Baker – KwaZulu-Natal Albuca crispa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. Cape Province to Free state Albuca crudenii Archibald – S. Cape Province Albuca dalyae Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca darlingana U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca deaconii van Jaarsv. – KwaZulu-Natal Albuca decipiens U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province Albuca deserticola J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province Albuca dilucula (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca dinteri U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia Albuca donaldsonii Rendle – Ethiopia to Tanzania Albuca dyeri (Poelln.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca echinosperma U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca engleriana K.Krause & Dinter – Namibia Albuca etesiogaripensis U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province Albuca exigua (Mart.-Azorín, M.B.Crespo, A.P.Dold, M.Pinter & Wetschnig) J.C.Manning – Eastern Cape Albuca fastigiata Dryand. – S. Cape Province Albuca fibrotunicata Gledhill & Oyewole – Niger to Cameroon Albuca flaccida Jacq. – S.W. Cape Province Albuca foetida U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca fragrans Jacq. – S.W. Cape Province Albuca gageoides K.Krause – Namibia Albuca galeata Welw. ex Baker – Angola Albuca gariepensis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – N. Cape Province Albuca gentilii De Wild. – Zaïre Albuca gethylloides (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca gildenhuysii (van Jaarsv.) van Jaarsv. - N.W. Cape Province Albuca glandulifera J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province Albuca glandulosa Baker – Cape Province Albuca glauca Baker – Northern Province Albuca glaucifolia (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca goswinii U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca grandiflora (Baker) Mart.-Azorín, M.B.Crespo & M.Á.Alonso – NE Sudan Albuca grandis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Western Cape Province Albuca hallii U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to W. Cape Province Albuca hereroensis Schinz – Namibia Albuca hesquaspoortensis U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca heydenrychii van Jaarsv. – Limpopo Province Albuca homblei De Wild. – Zaïre Albuca humilis Baker – Free State to KwaZulu-Natal Albuca juncifolia Baker – S.W. Cape Province Albuca karachabpoortensis (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca karasbergensis Glover – Namibia Albuca karooica U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to Cape Province Albuca katangensis De Wild. – S. Zaïre Albuca kirkii (Baker) Brenan – Kenya to S. Tropical Africa Albuca kirstenii (J.C.Manning & Goldblatt) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province Albuca knersvlaktensis (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape Province Albuca kundelungensis De Wild. – Zaïre Albuca lebaensis (van Jaarsv.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Angola Albuca leucantha U.Müll.-Doblies – N.W. Cape Province Albuca littoralis (N.R.Crouch, D.Styles, A.J.Beaumont & Mart.-Azorín) J.C.Manning – KwaZulu-Natal Albuca longipes Baker – Cape Province Albuca macowanii Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca malangensis Baker – Angola Albuca massonii Baker – W. Cape Province Albuca monarchos (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca monophylla Baker – Angola to Namibia Albuca myogaloides Welw. ex Baker – Angola Albuca namaquensis Baker – Namibia to Cape Province Albuca nana Schönland – S. Cape Province Albuca nathoana (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca navicula U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape Province Albuca nelsonii N.E.Br. – E. Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal – Nelson's slime lily Albuca nigritana (Baker) Troupin – W. Tropical Africa to Rwanda Albuca obtusa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca orientalis van Jaarsv. – Eastern and Western Cape Provinces Albuca osmynella (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca ovata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca papyracea J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca paradoxa Dinter – Namibia to W. Cape Province Albuca paucifolia (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca pearsonii (F.M.Leight.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province Albuca pendula B.Mathew – S.W. Saudi Arabia Albuca pendulina (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca pentheri (Zahlbr.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca polyodontula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca polyphylla Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca prasina (Ker Gawl.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. Africa Albuca prolifera J.H.Wilson – S. Cape Province Albuca psammophora (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca pseudobifolia Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – Eastern Cape Province Albuca pulchra (Schinz) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Angola to Botswana Albuca rautanenii (Schinz) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca recurva (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca riebeekkasteelberganula U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca robertsoniana U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape Province Albuca rogersii Schönland – S. Cape Province Albuca roodeae (E.Phillips) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca rupestris Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – KwaZulu-Natal Albuca sabulosa (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca scabrocostata (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca scabromarginata De Wild. – Zaïre Albuca schinzii Baker – Namibia Albuca schlechteri Baker – Northern Cape Province Albuca schoenlandii Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca secunda (Jacq.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province Albuca seineri (Engl. & K.Krause) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. Africa Albuca semipedalis Baker – Cape Province Albuca setosa Jacq. – Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal Albuca shawii Baker – S. Africa Albuca somersetianum – S. Cape Province Albuca spiralis L.f. – W. Cape Province Albuca stapffii (Schinz) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca steudneri Schweinf. & Engl. – E. Sudan Albuca strigosula (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca stuetzeliana (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape Province Albuca suaveolens (Jacq.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to Cape Province Albuca subglandulosa (U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape Province Albuca subspicata Baker – Angola Albuca sudanica A.Chev. – W. Tropical Africa to Sahara and W. Sudan Albuca tenuifolia Baker – S. Cape Province Albuca tenuis Knudtzon – Central Ethiopia to Kenya Albuca thermarum van Jaarsv. – Cape Province Albuca tortuosa Baker – E. Cape Province Albuca trachyphylla U.Müll.-Doblies – N.W. Cape Province Albuca tubiformis (Oberm.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia Albuca unifolia (Retz.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to Free State