Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Habitat and
distribution
Iphigenia oliveri
Description
Fig. 103.
Iphigenia oliveri,
from Sidamo
floristic region.
ANDROCYMBIUM MERENDERA IPHIGENIA 221
Ovary 2.5–3.5 mm long with reduced style and 3­branched stigma.
Capsule obovoid to oblong, 8–20 mm long. Seeds many, brown,
each ovoid, c. 2 × 1.5 mm.
The species grows in flat open area in Euclea-Dodonaea
and in Acacia-Dichro stachys-Anogeissus scrub, in open
bare land, eroded area of volcanic ash near gul leys
with exposed subsoil, and in rocky outcrops in Acacia-
Commiphora-Termi nalia woodland on limestone slopes
with sandy soil, between 1250 and 2000 m in Tigray,
Shewa, Bale, and Sidamo floristic regions in Ethiopia
and in Eritrea. It is otherwise widespread in tropical
Africa. The main flowering period is from April to May.
2. Iphigenia oliveri Engl.
The specific epithet ‘oliveri’ was given in honour of Daniel
Oliver, British botanist, a Keeper of the Herbarium,
RBG, Kew and editor of the Flora of Tropical Africa.
The species was described by Engler in 1893 with
the type material collected from Tavetta in Kenya by
Johnston.
Herb 20–30 cm high. Corm ovoid, 1.2–2 × 0.8–1.5 cm; tunic light
to dark­brown, slightly muricate. Leaves linear, clasping the stem,
alternate; leaf­blade 6.5–17 cm × 2–5 mm. Flowers solitary in
the axils of many leaves, bending down. Pedicel 6–20 mm long.
Perianth 6, brown to purple red, 3–12 cm × 0.5 mm. Stamens 6,
filaments 1–1.5 mm long; anthers 0.5 mm long. Ovary with very