Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Habitat and
distribution
Romulea congoensis
Description
Habitat and
distribution
HESPERANTHA ROMULEA 239
third of anthers, branches c.1 mm long, usually arching shortly
above anther apices, occasionally substantially exceeding anthers.
Capsules ovoid­oblong, 7–10 mm long.
It grows on rocky outcrops with volcanic boulders
between 1950 and 2400 m in Bale and Sidamo floristic
regions. It also occurs from Kenya to S. Africa, and in
Cameroon and the Sudan. The main common flowering
period in Ethiopia is from April to June.
3. Romulea congoensis Bég.
The specific epithet ‘congoensis’ refers to the country
of origin where the collection was made, Congo. The
species was descri bed by Béguinot in 1938.
The species is clearly distinguished from the previous
two species by the rust-coloured inner floral bracts. It
was also known by the name R. keniensis, which is now
a synonym.
Plant 2–5(–10) cm high including leaves. Corm depressed­globose,
5–9 mm in diameter, tunics membranous, reddish brown. Leaves
3–5(–7), linear, usually arcuate, oval in transverse section with
4 narrow longitudinal grooves, 1–1.3 mm wide, midrib evident
without a central hyaline ridge. Flowering stems 1–2 per plant,
more or less erect at anthesis, soon curving outward, sharply so in
fruit, 1–1.3 mm in diameter; bracts 12–15 mm long, outer green
with broad mem­branaceous margins, inner bracts entirely membranaceous
to scarious, slightly short than outer. Flowers blue to
white, with a white to yellow centre; perianth tube funnel­shaped,
c. 7.5 mm long; tepals lanceolate, erect below, patent in upper half,
15–20 × c. 6 mm. Filaments 5–6 mm long; anthers c. 6 mm long.
Ovary oblong, c. 3 mm long; style reaching to about middle of
anthers, branches not exceeding anther apices. Capsules ovate, c. 10
mm long, usually pendent (erect when pedicel not reaching above
ground).
It grows on rocky places between 3300 and 4100 m in
Arsi, Bale and Gamo Gofa floristic regions. It also occurs
in Kenya, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of Congo
(Zaire). The main flowering period in Ethiopia is from
August to October.