Iridaceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants (anthophytes) in the order Asparagales, the asparagoid lilies. The family takes its name from the irises, meaning rainbow, referring to its many colours. There are 66 accepted genera with a total of c. 2244 species worldwide. It includes a number of other well known cultivated plants, such as freesias, gladioli and crocuses. Members of this family are perennial plants, with a bulb, corm or rhizome. The plants grow erect, and have leaves that are generally grass-like, with a sharp central fold.
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.
The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).
65 genera are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.
Acidanthera
Genus Acidanthera: Acidanthera capensis (Houtt.) Baker. accepted as Ixia paniculata D.Delaroch. indigenous
Afrosolen
Genus Afrosolen: Afrosolen bainesii (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Mannin. indigenous Afrosolen masukuensis (Vaupel & Schltr.) Goldblatt & J.C.Mannin. indigenous Afrosolen sandersonii (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Mannin. indigenous Afrosolen sandersonii (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. limpopoensis (Goldblatt & J.C.Manning. endemic Afrosolen sandersonii (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. sandersoni. indigenous
Agretta
Genus Agretta: Agretta crispa Eckl. accepted as Ixia erubescens Goldblat. indigenous Agretta pallidiflavens Eckl. accepted as Ixia odorata Ker Gawl. indigenous Agretta pentandra (L.f.) Eckl. accepted as Ixia scillaris L. subsp. scillari. indigenous Agretta stricta Eckl. accepted as Ixia stricta (Eckl. ex Klatt) G.J.Lewi. indigenous
Anisanthus
Genus Anisanthus: Anisanthus caryophyllaceus (Burm.f.) Klatt, accepted as Freesia caryophyllacea (Burm.f.) N.E.Br.
Anomatheca
Genus Anomatheca: Anomatheca cruenta Lindl, accepted as Freesia laxa (Thunb.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. laxa Anomatheca fistulosa (Spreng. ex Klatt) Goldblatt, accepted as Xenoscapa fistulosa (Spreng. ex Klatt) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning Anomatheca grandiflora Baker, accepted as Freesia grandiflora (Baker) Klatt subsp. grandiflora Anomatheca laxa (Thunb.) Goldblatt subsp. azurea Goldblatt & Hutchings, accepted as Freesia laxa (Thunb.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. azurea (Goldblatt & Hutchings) Goldblatt & J.C. Anomatheca verrucosa (B.Vogel) Goldblatt, accepted as Freesia verrucosa (B.Vogel) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning Anomatheca viridis (Aiton) Goldblatt subsp. crispifolia Goldblatt, accepted as Freesia viridis (Aiton) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. viridis
Antholyza
Genus Antholyza: Antholyza caryophyllaceae (Burm.f.) Roem. & Schult, accepted as Freesia caryophyllacea (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. Antholyza fourcadei L.Bolus, accepted as Gladiolus fourcadei (L.Bolus) Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos