Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Key to the species
Albuca abyssinica
Description
Habitat and
distribution
DRIMIA ALBUCA 201
the ovary walls (septal glands).
The leaves, linear to lanceolate, are produced
simultaneously with the flowers. The erect scape carries
a relatively lax racemose inflorescence. In contrast to
Drimia, the bracts do not carry spurs. The capsule is
ovoid and contains several flattened seeds.
The genus is widely distributed in Africa south of the
Sahara (extending to Arabia), including about 30 species.
Only two species are recognised in Ethiopia.
1. Plants ± robust; leaves more than 5 mm wide 1. A. abyssinica
- Plants small and slender, leaves filiform, 1 mm wide 2. A. tenuis
1. Albuca abyssinica Jacquin
The species epithet refers to Abyssinia, the former name
of Ethiopia. Jacquin described the species as early as in
1783. It is uncertain from where the material he used
was obtained. It is a very variable species complex,
distinguished from A. tenuis by robustness and leaf
width.
Plants 20–150 cm tall. Bulbs 2–8 cm in diameter, with or without
fibrous remnants of old leaves. Leaves lanceolate, 20–100 × 0.5–5
cm, glabrous or ciliate (rarely pubescent). Pedicels 2–20 mm long.
Tepals 8–35 mm long. Style 1.5–3 times as long as the ovary.
Capsule 1–2 cm long, seeds flat, 3–7 mm across.
The species is found in grassland, bush land or woodland,
on red or brown loamy soils from 700 to 3240 m. It is
found in most floristic regions in Ethiopia, except the
eastern ones. It is otherwise widely distributed in Africa
south of the Sahara, extending to Arabia. The main
flowering period in Ethiopia is from April to May, in the
southern parts with a second period from September to
November.
The species is very variable and several species have
been described in Ethiopia. Here they are all ‘lumped’
to Albuca abyssinica. One species, A. blepharophylla
Cufod. with pubescent leaves, was described from
Sidamo floristic region. It can easily be crossed with A.