Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

178 AMARYLLIDACEAE
Fig. 87. Ammocharis tinneana, (left) floweing plant form near Mega; (right)
rosettes from near Negelle, both Sidamo floristic region.
Description
Habitat and
distribution
Bulb up to 12 cm in diameter, with a distinct neck. Leaves spreading
on the ground in two opposite fans, 1–3 cm broad, sometimes with
ci li ate margins, length varying with age, appearing before or after
the flowers. Scapes 5–25 cm, prostrate. Inflorescence with 10–30
flowers. Pedi cels 1–4 cm long. Flowers pale pink with darker midribs,
fading to crimson or magenta with age, sweetly scented; tube
6–10cm long; segments 4–8 × 0.3–0.5 cm, spirally recurved towards
the apex at anthesis. Stamens arcuate, pink, 3–6 cm long, anthers
4–9 mm. Fruit reddish, subglobose, 2–2.5 cm in diameter.
This species grows in open Acacia­Com mi phora bushland,
on more or less bare, reddish to brownish soils, tolerating
heavy grazing and also erosion, from 1000 to 1800 m in
the Bale and Sidamo floristic regions. It is widespread
from Namibia and Botswana in the south to Ethiopia in
the north. Few flowering specimens have been collected
from Ethiopia, but indicating that the species may have
a two-peaked flowering period, around April and around
October, probably flowering before the rains.
4. PANCRATIUM L.
This genus is easily recognised by its whitish, more or
less long-tubed flowers with a cylinder-like corona of
fused filaments, which, however, in one of the Ethiopian
species is reduced to double teeth between the stamens.
The inflorescences consist of one to few flowers,
subtended by two more or less fused bracts. The flowers
are radially symmetrical, with free, linear and spreading