{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox |taxon = Apodolirion |image= Apodolirion buchananii 58060038.jpg |image_caption = ''Apodolirion buchananii'' |authority = Baker<ref name = "Baker, 1878" /> |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = See here |type_species = ''Apodolirion buchananii'' {{au|(Baker) Baker}}<ref name = "Tropicos">Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-b). ''Apodolirion'' Baker. Tropicos. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/40017815</ref> |range_map = South Africa in the world (W3).svg |range_map_caption = It is endemic to Southern Africa<ref name = "POWO" /> }}
'''''Apodolirion''''' is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae<ref>{{citation |last=Stevens |first=P.F. |title=Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Amaryllidoideae |url=http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/orders/asparagalesweb.htm#AllAma }}</ref>). It consists of 6 species native to Southern Africa.<ref name = "POWO" />
==Description== thumb|right|upright|Illustration of ''Apodolirion buchanii'' ===Vegetative characteristics=== ''Apodolirion'' are bulbous plants<ref name = "PBS">''Apodolirion''. (n.d.). Pacific Bulb Society. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/apodolirion</ref> with tunicate bulbs.<ref name = "Baker, 1878" /> ===Generative characteristics=== The fragrant,<ref name = "Biodiversity Explorer" /><ref name = "Kiepiel & Johnson, 2024" /> ephemeral, tubular,<ref name = "Biodiversity Explorer">Iziko Museums of South Africa. (n.d.). ''Apodolirion''. Biodiversity Explorer. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/plants/amaryllidaceae/apodolirion.htm</ref> delicate, solitary, sessile flower has a perianth of six tepals.<ref name = "Baker, 1878" /> The androecium consists of 6 stamens.<ref name = "Meerow & Clayton, 2004" /> The gynoecium consists of 3 carpels.<!-- "Ovary clavate, three-celled;" --><ref name = "Baker, 1878" /> The stigma is tri-lobed. The long, cylindrical, fragrant fruit bears many small, hard seeds.<ref name = "Meerow & Clayton, 2004">Meerow, A. W., & Clayton, J. R. (2004). Generic relationships among the baccate-fruited Amaryllidaceae (tribe Haemantheae) inferred from plastid and nuclear non-coding DNA sequences. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 244(3/4), 141–155. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23645270</ref> ===Cytology=== The basic chromosome number is x = 6.<ref name = "Conrad et al., 2006" />
==Taxonomy== It was published by John Gilbert Baker in 1878.<ref name = "Baker, 1878">{{cite journal|last1=Baker|first1=JG|author-link=JG Baker|title=On two new genera of Amaryllidaceae from Cape Colony|journal=Journal of Botany, British and Foreign|volume=16|pages=74–77|date=1878|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8956466#page/86/mode/1up}}</ref> The lectotype species ''Apodolirion buchananii'' {{au|(Baker) Baker}} was designated in 1951.<ref name = "Tropicos" /> It is placed in the tribe Haemantheae.<ref name = "Meerow & Clayton, 2004" /><ref name = "GRIN">USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2025. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomygenus?id=857. Accessed 11 February 2025.</ref> ''Apodolirion'' and ''Gethyllis'' may represent a single genus.<ref name = "Conrad et al., 2006">Conrad, F. E. R. O. Z. A. H., Reeves, G. A. I. L., Snijman, D. A., & Hedderson, T. A. (2006). [https://aetfat.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/17thAETFAT_2003_Proceedings.pdf#page=87 Genetic relationships within the tribe Haemantheae (Amaryllidaceae) based on plastd DNA sequence data.] Taxonomy and ecology of African plants, their conservation and sustainable use, 73-83.</ref> ===Etymology=== The generic name ''Apodolirion'' means "stemless flower".<ref name = "PlantZAfrica">South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). (n.d.-a). ''Apodolirion amyanum''. PlantZAfrica. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://pza.sanbi.org/apodolirion-amyanum</ref> ===Species=== It has six species:<ref name = "POWO">''Apodolirion'' Baker. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1342-1</ref> {{div col}} *''Apodolirion amyanum'' {{au|D.Müll.-Doblies}} *''Apodolirion bolusii'' {{au|Baker}} *''Apodolirion buchananii'' {{au|(Baker) Baker}} *''Apodolirion cedarbergense'' {{au|D.Müll.-Doblies}} *''Apodolirion lanceolatum'' {{au|(Thunb.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks.}} *''Apodolirion macowanii'' {{au|Baker}} {{div col end}}
==Ecology== ===Habitat=== It occurs in the summer rainfall regions of South Africa.<ref name = "Meerow & Clayton, 2004" /> ===Pollination=== The flowers are pollinated by bees.<ref name = "Kiepiel & Johnson, 2024" /> ===Seed dispersal=== The seeds are dispersed by ants.<ref name = "Kiepiel & Johnson, 2024">Kiepiel, I., & Johnson, S. D. (2024). [https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/ajb2.16421 Scent‐mediated bee pollination and myrmecochory in an enigmatic geophyte with pyrogenic flowering and subterranean development of fleshy fruits.] American Journal of Botany, 111(11), e16421.</ref>
==Conservation== ''Apodolirion amyanum'' is classified as Endangered (EN) according to the Red List of South African plants.<ref name = "PlantZAfrica" />
== Uses == {{Unreferenced section|date=February 2025}} ''A. buchananii'' (known as "Natal Crocus") is cultivated as an ornamental plant. It is a small plant with solitary flowers, that bloom in spring.
== References == {{Reflist|32em}}
== External links == *{{Wikispecies-inline|Apodolirion|''Apodolirion''}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q147863}}
Category:Amaryllidoideae Category:Amaryllidaceae genera Category:Taxa named by John Gilbert Baker Category:Plants described in 1878 Category:Flora of Southern Africa