Genus: Bulbs & Caudiciform
Adenia
Adenia
Genus of caudiciform and climbing plants in the Passifloraceae family, distributed across tropical Africa, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia. Species develop large globose or columnar basal caudices that store water and nutrients, enabling survival through prolonged droughts. Foliage is deciduous or semi-deciduous; all parts contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides. Highly valued in succulent and caudex bonsai collecting.
Adenium
Adenium
Genus of caudiciform succulents in the Apocynaceae family, native to arid and semi-arid regions of eastern Africa, southern Arabia, and the Horn of Africa. Popularly known as desert roses or impala lilies, they are distinguished by their showy tubular flowers in shades of pink, red, white, and bicolor, and by their swollen caudex that acts as a water reservoir. Widely cultivated as houseplants and bonsai worldwide.
Albuca
Albuca
Genus of perennial bulbous plants in the Asparagaceae family, native primarily to southern Africa. Albucas grow from underground bulbs and produce basal leaves that can be linear, channeled, or notably spiralized in some species. The nodding white-yellowish to green flowers have three inner petals with green or yellow stripes. Many species enter summer dormancy.
Ammocharis
Ammocharis
Genus of bulbous geophytes in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to sub-Saharan and southern Africa. They produce large umbels of fragrant pink or red flowers above strap-like leaves. Grow in seasonally dry sandy soils with a summer rest period. Several species are medicinal in African ethnobotany.
Beaucarnea
Beaucarnea
Genus of caudiciform plants in the family Asparagaceae, native to Mexico and Central America. Characterized by their bulbous base or swollen caudex that stores water and nutrients, and their crown of long drooping leaves. The best-known species is B. recurvata (ponytail palm), one of the world's most sold indoor plants.
Boophone
Boophone
Genus of bulbous geophytes in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to sub-Saharan and southern Africa. Produce enormous partly exposed bulbs and very showy umbels of pink or reddish flowers. Highly toxic — contain lycorine alkaloids. The San and Khoikhoi used them as arrow poison and in traditional medicine.
Bowiea
Bowiea
Genus of bulbous geophytes in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, native to eastern and southern Africa. They produce an exposed green photosynthesizing bulb from which highly branched twining stems emerge. The best-known species, B. volubilis, is commonly called "climbing onion" and is highly prized in succulent and caudiciform collections.
Bravoa
Bravoa
Genus of bulbous geophytes in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to Mexico and Central America. They produce bulbs or rhizomes and erect flowering stems with tubular red or orange flowers. Currently many species are classified within the genus Polianthes, of which Bravoa was formerly a synonym.
Brodiaea
Brodiaea
Genus of bulbous geophytes in the family Themidaceae, native to North and South America. They produce corms and umbels of blue-violet, pink or white flowers. The species listed here are mainly South American (Argentine, Chilean and Andean) species historically classified under this genus.
Brunsvigia
Brunsvigia
Genus of spectacular bulbous geophytes in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, native to South Africa, Namibia and parts of eastern Africa. They produce enormous bulbs and umbels of red, pink or orange flowers that can reach 50 cm in diameter. After flowering, the floral scape detaches and rolls like tumbleweed dispersing the seeds. They are slow-growing plants highly prized in horticulture.
Bryonia
Bryonia
Historical genus of the family Cucurbitaceae including climbing plants with rhizomes or tubers, native to Europe, Africa and Asia. The South African species listed under Bryonia have largely been reclassified under Kedrostis, although the name Bryonia persists in collections and older literature. They are caudiciform plants highly sought by succulent and caudiciform collectors.
Calibanus
Calibanus
A small genus of caudiciform plants from Mexico, belonging to the family Asparagaceae. They form a spectacular woody or corky caudex from which rigid, needle-like grass-like leaves emerge. Extremely drought-tolerant and sought after by collectors of rare plants.
Callithauma
Callithauma
A small or monotypic genus of bulbous geophytes in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to the South American Andes. The taxonomy of this genus is debated; some authorities treat it as a synonym of Stenomesson or Clinanthus. They produce tubular flowers in umbels on scapose stems.