Albuca

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Albuca shawii.jpg | image_caption = ''Albuca shawii'' | taxon = Albuca | authority = L. | synonyms = {{Specieslist |Albugoides|Medik. |Ardernia|Salisb. |Battandiera|Maire |Branciona|Salisb. |Coilonox|Raf. |Ethesia|Raf. |Falconera|Salisb. |Igidia|Speta |Iosanthus|Mart.-Azorín et al. |Monotassa|Salisb. |Nemaulax|Raf. |Osmyne|Salisb. |Pallastema|Salisb. |Stellarioides|Medik. |Taeniola|Salisb. |Trimelopter|Raf. |Urophyllon|Salisb. }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name="POWO"/> }}

'''''Albuca''''' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae.<ref name=APweb_Scill/> The genus is distributed mainly in southern and eastern Africa, with some species occurring in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.<ref name=Mart11a/> Plants of the genus are known commonly as '''slime lilies'''.<ref name=John12/>

==Description== These are perennial herbs growing from bulbs. The stem is sheathed in leaves with linear to strap-shaped blades.<ref name=FZ_Albuca/> 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".<ref name=Mann08/> 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,<ref name=Mann08/> 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.<ref name=FZ_Albuca/> 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.<ref name=John12/> The fruit is a rounded or oval three-lobed capsule containing shiny black seeds.<ref name=FZ_Albuca/>

The three inner tepals can be closed firmly, raising the question of how pollinators might reach the stigma inside to deposit pollen.<ref name=John12/> 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.<ref name=John12/> 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.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}<ref>{{cite journal | last= Mestel | first= Rosie | date= January 1995 | title= Is that a Pistil in Your Pocket? | journal= Discover | volume= 16 | issue= 1 | pages= 88–89}}</ref>

==Systematics== The genus is circumscribed in two ways. The traditional genus ''Albuca'' is a monophyletic group of about 60 known species,<ref name=Mart11b/> and possibly about 100 in total.<ref name=Mart11c/> 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;<ref name=Mart11a/> All of these genera, including ''Albuca'', have also been lumped together in ''Ornithogalum'' at times, but molecular phylogenetics studies support their separation.<ref name=Mart11c/>

===Species=== The genus, as defined in the ''Plants of the World Online'' database, contains 167 accepted species {{as of|2025|July|lc=on}}.<ref name="POWO">{{cite POWO |title=''Albuca'' L. |id=23948-1 |access-date=2025-07-05}}</ref> {{div col}} * ''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<ref name=SANBI_Ab/> * ''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<ref name=SANBI_An/> * ''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 * ''Albuca unifoliata'' G.D.Rowley – W. Cape Province * ''Albuca variegata'' De Wild. – Zaïre * ''Albuca villosa'' U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Namibia to W. Cape Province * ''Albuca virens'' (Lindl.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Eritrea to S. Africa * ''Albuca viscosa'' L.f. – Namibia to W. Cape Province * ''Albuca vittata'' Ker Gawl. – Cape Province * ''Albuca volubilis'' (H.Perrier) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Madagascar * ''Albuca watermeyeri'' (L.Bolus) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape Province * ''Albuca weberlingiorum'' U.Müll.-Doblies – Cape Province * ''Albuca xanthocodon'' Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – Mpumalanga to S.E. Cape Province * ''Albuca yerburyi'' Ridl. – Yemen * ''Albuca zebrina'' Baker – W. Cape Province * ''Albuca zenkeri'' Engl. – Cameroon {{div col end}}

==Cultivation== The most popular species is ''Albuca nelsonii'', which is evergreen and not frost-hardy. Such species are best suited to temperate areas, but can be grown in a conservatory or greenhouse, or in a sheltered position if light frosts might occur. However, some other species from alpine or Karoo-like areas are fairly frost-resistant and may be deciduous, and accordingly can stand a good deal of frost once established. Some are winter-flowering.<ref name=Powr98/> As a rule they do well in full sun in light, free-draining soil. Propagation is from offsets or seed.

==References== {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=APweb_Scill>{{citation |last=Stevens |first=P.F. |title=Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Scilloideae |url=https://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/orders/asparagalesweb.htm#Hyacinthaceae }}</ref>

<ref name=FZ_Albuca>{{citation |url=https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=345 |title=Albuca |work=Flora of Zimbabwe |access-date=2013-10-11 }}</ref>

<ref name=John12>{{citation |first1=S.D. |last1=Johnson |first2=A. |last2=Jürgens |first3=M. |last3=Kuhlmann |date=2012 |title=Pollination function transferred: modified tepals of ''Albuca'' (Hyacinthaceae) serve as secondary stigmas |journal=Annals of Botany |volume=110 |issue=3 |pages=565–572 |doi=10.1093/aob/mcs114 |name-list-style=amp |pmid=22652419 |pmc=3400444}}</ref>

<ref name=Mann08>{{citation |last=Manning |first=J. |title=Field Guide to Fynbos |publisher=Struik Publishers |location=Cape Town |date=2008 |isbn= 978-1-77007-265-7 }}</ref>

<ref name=Mart11a>{{citation |first1=M. |last1=Martínez-Azorín |first2=M.B. |last2=Crespo |first3=A.P. |last3=Dold |first4=N.P. |last4=Barker |date=2011 |title=The identity of ''Albuca caudata'' Jacq. (Hyacinthaceae) and a description of a new related species: ''A. bakeri'' |journal=PhytoKeys |issue=5 |pages=5–19 |doi=10.3897/phytokeys.5.1166 |name-list-style=amp |pmc=3174447 |pmid=22171189 |bibcode=2011PhytK...5....5M |doi-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name=Mart11b>{{citation |first1=M. |last1=Martínez-Azorín |first2=M.B. |last2=Crespo |first3=A.P. |last3=Dold |first4=N.P. |last4=Barker |date=2011 |title=''Albuca annulata'' sp. nov. (Hyacinthaceae) from the Albany Centre of Endemism, South Africa |journal=Nordic Journal of Botany |volume=29 |issue=6 |pages=696–699 |doi=10.1111/j.1756-1051.2011.01178.x |bibcode=2011NorJB..29..696M |url=http://scilloideae.e-monocot.org/sites/scilloideae.e-monocot.org/files/Mart%C3%ADnez-Azor%C3%ADn%20et%20al.%202011.%20Albuca%20annulata%20sp.%20nov.%20Nordic%20J.%20Bot.%2029,%20696-699_0.pdf |access-date=2013-11-10 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref>

<ref name=Mart11c>{{citation |first1=M. |last1=Martínez-Azorín |first2=M.B. |last2=Crespo |first3=A. |last3=Juan |first4=M.F. |last4=Fay |date=2011 |title=Molecular phylogenetics of subfamily Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) based on nuclear and plastid DNA regions, including a new taxonomic arrangement |journal=Ann. Bot. |volume=107 |issue=1 |pages=1–37 |doi=10.1093/aob/mcq207 |name-list-style=amp |pmid=21163815 |pmc=3002468}}</ref>

<ref name=Powr98>{{citation |last=Powrie |first=Fiona |title=Grow South African Plants : A Gardeners' Companion to Indigenous Plants |publisher=National Botanical Institute |location=Claremont |date=1998 |isbn=978-1-919684-15-4 }}</ref>

<ref name=SANBI_Ab>{{citation |url=https://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/albucabat.htm |title=Albuca batteniana |publisher=South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) |access-date=2013-11-10 }}</ref>

<ref name=SANBI_An>{{citation |url=https://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/albucnelson.htm |title=Albuca nelsonii |publisher=South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) |access-date=2013-11-10 }}</ref>

}}

==External links== *[https://redlist.sanbi.org/genus.php?genus=3795 ''Albuca''.] Red List of South African Plants. South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115057/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?358 GRIN Species Records of ''Albuca''.] Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). *[https://www.homolaicus.com/scienza/erbario/utility/botanica_sistematica/hypertext/0072.htm#000000 Botanica Sistematica] * {{AfricanPlants|Albuca}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q2245221}}

Category:Albuca Category:Asparagaceae genera