Previous Classification & Key

Classification

The following classification and key of 19 species, shows the situation prior to Grey-Wilson (1997) and makes use of Schwarz (1964), Chris Grey-Wilson (1988), infraspecific classification of C. graecum by Ietswaart (1990), and a small number of later additions.

To display more details of the various species and sub-species, including illustrations, click on names in the Species column below. However, you should note that on the species pages, the classification follows Grey-Wilson (1997).
Details of books, papers, articles and other references cited in the species pages will be found on the Bibliography Page.

The author is not a botanist, but like Grey-Wilson (1988), would question some aspects of the division by Schwarz (1964) into subgenera. Although some of the groupings seem obvious or sensible, such as repandum/creticum/balearicum, coum/parviflorum/trochopteranthum, persicum/somalense, and hederifolium/africanum/purpurascens, it could seem reasonable to add C. cyprium to the repandum group, and to group together cilicium/intaminatum/mirabile.

Key

The following key is taken from Grey-Wilson (1988), with acknowledgement:

1. Corolla auriculate towards the base where the corolla-lobes reflex; flowering in autumn and early winter ............... 2
....Corolla not auriculate at the base; flowering mostly in late winter, spring and summer (except C. cilicium, C. intaminatum & C. mirabile) ......................................................................................................................................6

2. Stamens exserted from mouth of corolla by 1.5-2.5mm; leaf-lamina broader than long, + reniform in general outline............................................................................................................................................. C. rohlfsianum
....Stamens not exserted; leaf-lamina longer than broad, ovate to cordate in general outline.........................................3

3. Fruiting pedicels coiling in two directions from near the centre, or coiling from near the base upwards; corolla-lobes with 3 magenta streaks at the base, which are not joined; tuber rooting from the centre below, with both thick fleshy contractile, as well as fibrous, roots ................................................................................................... C. graecum
....Fruiting pedicels coiling from the top downwards; corolla-lobes with 2 broad magenta streaks or blotches at base*, which are usually joined and often form a V- or M-shape; tuber rooting on one side below; or from the sides of shoulders, all roots fibrous....................................................................................................................................... 4

4. Pedicels not decumbent at the base, the flowers rising directly from the tuber; corolla-lobes 18-35mm long; mature leaves often more than 10cm long .....................................................................................................C. africanum
....Pedicels decumbent at the base, the flowers appearing to rise to one side of the tuber; corolla-lobes 14-22mm long; mature leaves mostly less than 10cm long ........................................................................................................ 5

5. Calyx-lobes broadly triangular, almost as broad as long, with an abrupt cuspidate apex; blotch towards base of petals elongated, usually V-shaped; tubers producing roots from the sides and shoulders ..................C. hederifolium
....Calyx-lobes narrowly triangular, subulate, with a long-acuminate apex; blotch towards base of petals short and M-shaped; tubers producing roots below and generally to one side .........................................................C. cyprium

6. Pedicels curving downwards, but not coiling in fruit .............................................................................................7
....Pedicels coiling in fruit ........................................................................................................................................8

7. Corolla-lobes 10-15mm long; margin of leaf-lamina somewhat angled in the lower half ...................C. somalense
....Corolla-lobes 20-37mm long; margin of leaf-lamina not angled .........................................................C. persicum

8. Flowers appearing in the summer and autumn .....................................................................................................9
....Flowers appearing in the late winter or spring ...................................................................................................12

9. Corolla deep carmine-pink or purple, 8-10mm in diameter at the mouth, strongly scented, the lobes broad and obtuse; leaves generally persisting throughout the year ...................................................................C. purpurascens
....Corolla white or pale to deep pink, 3-4.5mm in diameter at the mouth, weakly scented or apparently unscented, the lobes rather narrow and acute or subacute; leaves not persisting throughout the year .........................................10

10. Corolla-lobes distinctly toothed towards the apex, densely glandular on the inner surface (outer surface once the lobes have reflexed); leaf lamina often marbled with pink or red, especially when young; mature tuber with a rough corky surface .........................................................................................................................................C. mirabile
....Corolla-lobes entire or indistinctly toothed towards the apex, eglandular or sparsely glandular on the inner surface; leaf-lamina marbled grey or white, or plain green and unmarbled; mature tuber with a smooth velvety surface ..........11

11. Leaf-lamina longer than wide, the margin usually distinctly toothed; corolla pale pink to mid-pink, lobes 14-19mm long, with a deep magenta blotch at the base, veins pinkish ......................................................................C. cilicium
....Leaf-lamina wider than long, the margin usually indistinctly toothed to sub-entire; corolla white or pale pink, lobes 10-16mm long, without a basal blotch, veins greyish. ......................................................................C. intaminatum

12. Corolla-lobes white or very pale pink without a darker zone or blotching towards the base ....................... .......13
....Corolla-lobes pink to deep magenta, rarely white, with a darker zone or distinct blotching near or at the base ....14

13. Leaf-lamina with an acute apex, margin more or less flat; corolla-lobes 15-26mm long .....................C. creticum
....Leaf-lamina with an obtuse apex, margin generally somewhat revolute; corolla-lobes 9-16mm long ..C. balearicum

14. Corolla-lobes more than 3 times longer than broad, often with a darker basal zone, but without a distinct blotch ...........................................................................................................................................................C. repandum
....Corolla-lobes less than 3 times longer than broad, with a distinct dark (usually magenta) blotch or 'eye' near the base. ...................................................................................................................................................................15

15. Mouth of corolla 10-13mm in diameter; flowers with a musty acetylene or peppery smell; tubers with roots produced from the sides as well as the base .....................................................................................C. libanoticum
....Mouth of corolla 3-6mm in diameter; flowers with a sweet fragrance or unscented; tubers with roots produced only from the centre of the base ....................................................................................................................................16

16. Flowers large, the corolla-lobes 18-25mm long; leaf lamina coarsely toothed, sometimes slightly lobed or angled; tuber rough, fissured and corky when mature ..........................................................................C. pseudibericum
....Flowers smaller, the corolla-lobes 4-15(-17)mm long; leaf-lamina finely toothed to almost entire; tuber smooth and generally velvety ....................................................................................................................................................17

17. Corolla-lobes patent and twisted through 90º, often almost horizontal, propeller-like; basal blotch without a pair of pallid 'eyes' and corolla-lobes 9-13mm long ........................................................................C. trochopteranthum
....Corolla-lobes reflexed and generally more or less erect; basal blotch with or without a pair of pallid 'eyes', if the latter, then corolla-lobes only 4-8mm long ..............................................................................................................18

18. Flowers small, corolla-lobes only 4-8mm long, the basal blotch solid, without a pair of pallid 'eyes'
.......................................................................................................................................................C. parviflorum
....Flowers larger, corolla-lobes 8-16(-17)mm long, the basal blotch with a pair of pallid, whitish or pinkish 'eyes'
..................................................................................................................................................................C. coum

*Except in albino forms in which case leaf and tuber characters will generally separate species.