Succulent perennials or (rarely) annuals, with bulbs, corms, rhizomes or
tubers and often with separate fertile and sterile shoots. Inflorescences
composed of cymes, each cyme subtended by a spathe, consisting of
2-ranked sessile or subsessile flowers and usually conspicuous herbaceous bracteoles. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual. Calyx tubular
below. Corolla with a short tube, 3 lobes blue, purple or pink.
Stamens 6, equal, all fertile. Ovary 3-locular. Capsule narrowly ovoid. Worldwide: 50 species, in the Old World tropics Zambia: 5 taxa. The larvae of the following species of insect eat species of this genus: |
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