{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox |taxon = Merwilla |image = Scilla natalensis 3.jpg |image_caption = ''Merwilla plumbea'' |authority = Speta<ref name=WCSP_281193/> |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = 3, see text }}
'''''Merwilla''''' is a genus of bulbous flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae (also treated as the family Hyacinthaceae).<ref name=APweb_Scilloideae>Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards), "[http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/orders/asparagalesweb.htm#Hyacinthaceae Asparagales: Scilloideae]", ''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website'', retrieved 2014-02-25</ref> It is distributed in southern Africa, from Zimbabwe to South Africa.<ref name=WCSP_281193>{{Citation |contribution=Merwilla|title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=281193 |accessdate=2013-04-08}}</ref> This genus is named after the botanist Frederick Ziervogel Van der Merwe (1894–1968), who worked on this group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pza.sanbi.org/merwilla-plumbea|title=Merwilla plumbea - PlantZAfrica.com|website=pza.sanbi.org}}</ref><ref>List of South African plant botanical authors#V{{Circular reference|date=April 2018}}</ref>
==Description==
Species of ''Merwilla'' grow from relatively large bulbs, the upper part of which is usually above ground. The bulbs have light yellow to gray tunics. Plants have broad leaves. The flowers are borne in a raceme. Each flower has six blue tepals, forming a star shape. The stamens have white filaments which are joined at the base and small anthers. The oblong seeds are brownish when dry, paler when fresh.<ref name=eMon_281193 >{{Citation |title=''Merwilla'' Speta |url=http://zoo-bclark01.zoo.ox.ac.uk/taxon/urn:kew.org:wcs:taxon:281193 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130706211222/http://zoo-bclark01.zoo.ox.ac.uk/taxon/urn:kew.org:wcs:taxon:281193 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 6, 2013 |accessdate=2013-04-08 |work=eMonocot }}</ref> The seed colour distinguishes ''Merwilla'' from related genera, which have glossy black or dark brown seeds.<ref name=MannGoldFay04>{{Cite journal |last1=Manning |first1=J.C. |last2=Goldblatt |first2=P. |last3=Fay |first3=M.F. |year=2004 |title=A revised generic synopsis of Hyacintheaceae in sub-Saharan Africa, based on molecular evidence, including new combinations and the new tribe Pseudoprospereae |journal=Edinburgh Journal of Botany |volume=60 |issue=3 |pages=533–568 |doi=10.1017/S0960428603000404 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
==Systematics==
The genus ''Merwilla'' was created by Franz Speta in 1998 for some species formerly included in ''Scilla''.<ref name=WCSP_Merwilla/> The genus is placed in the tribe Hyacintheae (or the subfamily Hyacinthoideae by those who use the family Hyacinthaceae).<ref name=MannGoldFay04/>
===Species===
{{As of|2013|April}}, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognized the following species. All three were formerly placed in the genus ''Scilla''.<ref name=WCSP_Merwilla>Search for "Merwilla", {{Citation |title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/ |accessdate=2013-04-08 }}</ref>
{{Div col}} * ''Merwilla dracomontana'' <small>(Hilliard & B.L.Burtt) Speta</small> * ''Merwilla lazulina'' <small>(Wild) Speta</small> * ''Merwilla plumbea'' <small>(Lindl.) Speta</small> {{Div col end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Asparagaceae genera Category:Scilloideae