Asparagales (asparagoid lilies) is an order of flowering plants (anthophytes) in modern classification systems such as the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) and the Angiosperm Phylogeny Web. The order takes its name from the type family Asparagaceae and is placed in the monocots amongst the lilioid monocots. The order has only recently been recognized in classification systems. It was first put forward by Huber in 1977 and later taken up in the Dahlgren system of 1985 and then the APG in 1998, 2003 and 2009. Before this, many of its families were assigned to the old order Liliales, a very large order containing almost all monocots with colorful tepals and lacking starch in their endosperm. DNA sequence analysis indicated that many of the taxa previously included in Liliales should actually be redistributed over three orders, Liliales, Asparagales, and Dioscoreales. The boundaries of the Asparagales and of its families have undergone a series of changes in recent years; future research may lead to further changes and ultimately greater stability. In the APG circumscription, Asparagales is the largest order of monocots with 14 families, 1,122 genera, and about 36,000 species.
The order is clearly circumscribed on the basis of molecular phylogenetics, but it is difficult to define morphologically since its members are structurally diverse. Most species of Asparagales are herbaceous perennials, although some are climbers and some are tree-like. The order also contains many geophytes (bulbs, corms, and various kinds of tuber). According to telomere sequence, at least two evolutionary switch-points happened within the order. One of the defining characteristics (synapomorphies) of the order is the presence of phytomelanin, a black pigment present in the seed coat, creating a dark crust. Phytomelanin is found in most families of the Asparagales (although not in Orchidaceae, thought to be the sister-group of the rest of the order). The leaves of almost all species form a tight rosette, either at the base of the plant or at the end of the stem, but occasionally along the stem. The flowers are not particularly distinctive, being 'lily type', with six tepals and up to six stamina. The order is thought to have first diverged from other related monocots some 120–130 million years ago (early in the Cretaceous period), although given the difficulty in classifying the families involved, estimates are likely to be uncertain.
From an economic point of view, the order Asparagales is second in importance within the monocots to the order Poales (which includes grasses and cereals). Some species are used as food and flavourings.
The anthophytes are a grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. They were formerly thought to be a clade comprising plants bearing flower-like structures. The group contained the angiosperms - the extant flowering plants, such as roses and grasses - as well as the Gnetales and the extinct Bennettitales.
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.
The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).
14 families are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.
Agapanthaceae Family Agapanthaceae,
Agapanthus Genus Agapanthus: Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmanns. endemic Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmanns. subsp. africanus, endemic Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmanns. subsp. walshii (L.Bolus) Zonn. & G.D.Duncan, accepted as Agapanthus walshii L.Bolus, endemic Agapanthus campanulatus F.M.Leight. indigenous Agapanthus campanulatus F.M.Leight. subsp. campanulatus, indigenous Agapanthus campanulatus F.M.Leight. subsp. patens (F.M.Leight.) F.M.Leight. indigenous Agapanthus caulescens Spreng. indigenous Agapanthus caulescens Spreng. subsp. angustifolius F.M.Leight. indigenous Agapanthus caulescens Spreng. subsp. caulescens, indigenous Agapanthus caulescens Spreng. subsp. gracilis (F.M.Leight.) F.M.Leight. endemic Agapanthus coddii F.M.Leight. endemic Agapanthus comptonii F.M.Leight. accepted as Agapanthus praecox Willd. subsp. minimus (Lindl.) F.M.Leight. Agapanthus comptonii F.M.Leight. subsp. longitubus F.M.Leight. accepted as Agapanthus praecox Willd. subsp. minimus (Lindl.) F.M.Leight. indigenous Agapanthus dyeri F.M.Leight. accepted as Agapanthus inapertus P.Beauv. subsp. intermedius F.M.Leight. indigenous Agapanthus ensifolius (Thunb.) Willd. accepted as Lachenalia ensifolia (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, indigenous Agapanthus inapertus P.Beauv. indigenous Agapanthus inapertus P.Beauv. subsp. hollandii (F.M.Leight.) F.M.Leight. endemic Agapanthus inapertus P.Beauv. subsp. inapertus endemic Agapanthus inapertus P.Beauv. subsp. intermedius F.M.Leight. indigenous Agapanthus inapertus P.Beauv. subsp. parviflorus F.M.Leight. endemic Agapanthus inapertus P.Beauv. subsp. pendulus (L.Bolus) F.M.Leight. endemic Agapanthus nutans F.M.Leight. accepted as Agapanthus caulescens Spreng. subsp. gracilis (F.M.Leight.) F.M.Leight. indigenous Agapanthus praecox Willd. indigenous Agapanthus praecox Willd. subsp. minimus (Lindl.) F.M.Leight. endemic Agapanthus praecox Willd. subsp. orientalis (F.M.Leight.) F.M.Leight. endemic Agapanthus praecox Willd. subsp. praecox, endemic Agapanthus walshii L.Bolus, indigenous
Mauhlia Genus Mauhlia: Mauhlia ensifolia Thunb. accepted as Lachenalia ensifolia (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, indigenous
Agavaceae Family: Agavaceae,
Agave Genus Agave: Agave americana L. subsp. americana var. americana, not indigenous, invasive Agave americana L. subsp. americana var. expansa, not indigenous, invasive Agave angustifolia Haw. var. angustifolia, not indigenous Agave celsii Hook. var. albicans (Jacobi) Gentry, not indigenous Agave decipiens Baker, not indigenous Agave sisalana Perrine, not indigenous, invasive Agave vivipara L. var. vivipara, not indigenous Agave wercklei F.A.C.Weber ex A.Berger, not indigenous
Anthericum Genus Anthericum: Anthericum acutum C.H.Wright, accepted as Chlorophytum acutum (C.H.Wright) Nordal, indigenous Anthericum angulicaule Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum angulicaule (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Anthericum calyptrocarpum Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum calyptrocarpum (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Anthericum cooperi Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum cooperi (Baker) Nordal, indigenous Anthericum cyperaceum Kies, accepted as Chlorophytum cyperaceum (Kies) Nordal, indigenous Anthericum fasciculatum Baker accepted as Chlorophytum fasciculatum (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Anthericum galpinii Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu Anthericum galpinii Baker var. matabelense (Baker) Oberm. accepted as Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu var. matabelense (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Anthericum galpinii Baker var. norlindhii (Weim.) Oberm. accepted as Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu var. norlindhii (Weim.) Kativu, indigenous Anthericum haygarthii (J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans) Oberm. accepted as Chlorophytum haygarthii J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans, indigenous Anthericum krauseanum Dinter, accepted as Chlorophytum krauseanum (Dinter) Kativu, indigenous Anthericum longistylum Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum recurvifolium (Baker) C.Archer & Kativu, indigenous Anthericum radula Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum radula (Baker) Nordal, indigenous Anthericum rangei Engl. & K.Krause, accepted as Chlorophytum rangei (Engl. & K.Krause) Nordal, indigenous Anthericum saundersiae Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum saundersiae (Baker) Nordal, indigenous Anthericum transvaalense Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum transvaalense (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Anthericum trichophlebium Baker, accepted as Chlorophytum trichophlebium (Baker) Nordal, indigenous
Chlorophytum Genus Chlorophytum: Chlorophytum acutum (C.H.Wright) Nordal, indigenous Chlorophytum angulicaule (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum aridum Oberm., indigenous Chlorophytum asperum J.C.Manning, endemic Chlorophytum bowkeri Baker, indigenous Chlorophytum calyptrocarpum (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum capense (L.) Voss, endemic Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques, indigenous Chlorophytum cooperi (Baker) Nordal, indigenous Chlorophytum crassinerve (Baker) Oberm. endemic Chlorophytum crispum (Thunb.) Baker, endemic Chlorophytum cyperaceum (Kies) Nordal, endemic Chlorophytum fasciculatum (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu var. galpinii, indigenous Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu var. matabelense (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu var. norlindhii (Weim.) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum haygarthii J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans, indigenous Chlorophytum krauseanum (Dinter) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum krookianum Zahlbr. indigenous Chlorophytum lewisiae Oberm. endemic Chlorophytum macrosporum Baker, indigenous Chlorophytum modestum Baker, indigenous Chlorophytum monophyllum Oberm. endemic Chlorophytum namaquense Schltr. ex Poelln. endemic Chlorophytum pauciphyllum Oberm. endemic Chlorophytum polyphyllum (Baker) Kativu, accepted as Chlorophytum recurvifolium (Baker) C.Archer & Kativu Chlorophytum pulchellum Kunth accepted as Chlorophytum rigidum Kunth Chlorophytum radula (Baker) Nordal, endemic Chlorophytum rangei (Engl. & K.Krause) Nordal, indigenous Chlorophytum recurvifolium (Baker) C.Archer & Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum rigidum Kunth, endemic Chlorophytum saundersiae (Baker) Nordal, endemic Chlorophytum transvaalense (Baker) Kativu, indigenous Chlorophytum trichophlebium (Baker) Nordal, endemic Chlorophytum triflorum (Aiton) Kunth, endemic Chlorophytum undulatum (Jacq.) Oberm. indigenous Chlorophytum viscosum Kunth, indigenous
Furcraea Genus Furcraea: Furcraea foetida (L.) Haw. not indigenous, cultivated, invasive Furcraea selloana K.Koch, not indigenous Furcraea tuberosa (Mill.) W.T.Aiton, not indigenous
Alliaceae Family: Alliaceae,
Allium Genus Allium: Allium dregeanum Kunth, accepted as Allium synnotii G.Don, endemic Allium synnotii G.Don, endemic Allium triquetrum L. not indigenous
Nothoscordum Genus Nothoscordum: Nothoscordum borbonicum Kunth, not indigenous, invasive
Prototulbaghia Genus Prototulbaghia: Prototulbaghia siebertii Vosa, accepted as Tulbaghia siebertii (Vosa) Mich.Moller & G.I.Stafford, endemic
Tulbaghia Genus Tulbaghia: Tulbaghia acutiloba Harv. indigenous Tulbaghia alliacea L.f. endemic Tulbaghia capensis L. endemic Tulbaghia cepacea L.f. var. maritima Vosa, accepted as Tulbaghia maritima Vosa, endemic Tulbaghia cernua Ave-Lall. indigenous Tulbaghia coddii Vosa & R.B.Burb. endemic Tulbaghia cominsii Vosa, endemic Tulbaghia dregeana Kunth, endemic Tulbaghia galpinii Schltr. endemic Tulbaghia karasbergensis R.Glover, accepted as Tulbaghia tenuior K.Krause & Dinter Tulbaghia leucantha Baker, indigenous Tulbaghia ludwigiana Harv. indigenous Tulbaghia maritima Vosa, endemic Tulbaghia montana Vosa, indigenous Tulbaghia natalensis Baker, endemic