''Ferraria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

monocotyledon Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, ( Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one of ...

ous

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Iridaceae Iridaceae is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking 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 (Christenhusz & Byng 2016). It inclu ...

, native to tropical and southern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> They are

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition ...

corm A corm, bulbo-tuber, or bulbotuber is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ that some plants use to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ( perennation). The word ...

-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar to rotting meat and are pollinated by

flies Flies are insects of the Order (biology), order Diptera, the name being derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwing ...

, while others have a pleasant scent. The genus name is a tribute to Italian Jesuit Botanist and botanical artist Giovanni Baptista Ferrari. They are grown as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s in gardens in subtropical regions. ; Species * ''

Ferraria brevifolia ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' G.J.Lewis - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Ferraria candelabrum ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' (Baker) Rendle - Angola, Zambia * '' Ferraria crispa'' Burm. (syn. ''F. undulata'') - Cape Province; naturalized in Spain, Australia, Canary Islands, Madeira * ''

Ferraria densepunctulata ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria divaricata ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' Sw. - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria ferrariola ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' (Jacq.) Willd. - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria flava ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria foliosa ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' G.J.Lewis - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria glutinosa ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' (Baker) Rendle - from Cape Province north to Zaïre * ''

Ferraria macrochlamys ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria ornata ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria ovata ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' (Thunb.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria parva ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria schaeferi ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' Dinter - Cape Province, Namibia * ''

Ferraria spithamaea ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Angola * ''

Ferraria uncinata ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family (biology), family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasa ...

'' Sweet - Cape Province * ''

Ferraria variabilis ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar t ...

'' Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province, Namibia * ''

Ferraria welwitschii ''Ferraria'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family (biology), family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasa ...

'' Baker - Zaïre, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola

References

Other sources

Biodiversity South Africa: ''Ferraria''

UNEP-WCMC Species Database: ''Ferraria''

Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Ferraria''

Flora of Namibia: ''Ferraria''

Flora of Zimbabwe: ''Ferraria''
Iridaceae Iridaceae genera Flora of Africa {{Iridaceae-stub