''Romulea'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Iridaceae Iridaceae () is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the Iris (plant), irises. It has a nearly global distribution, with 69 accepted genera with a total of about 2500 species. It includes a number of economically importan ...

, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

, the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...

, and Africa.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref>Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Romulea
includes photos plus European distribution maps

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Species of ''Romulea'' are perennial cormous herbs.

Generative characteristics

The capsule fruits bear many brown, globose seeds.

Etymology

The genus name refers to the legendary founder of

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Romulus Romulus (, ) was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. Although many of th ...

, and alludes to the abundance of one of the species in the Roman countryside.''Romulea'' Maratti. (n.d.). Flora of North America. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from http://floranorthamerica.org/Romulea

Taxonomy

Publication

''Romulea'' Maratti was published by Giovanni Francesco Maratti (1704-1777) in 1772. It is a

conserved name A conserved name or ''nomen conservandum'' (plural ''nomina conservanda'', abbreviated as ''nom. cons.'') is a scientific name that has specific nomenclatural protection. That is, the name is retained, even though it violates one or more rules wh ...

.Maratti, Giovanni Francesco , International Plant Names Index. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://www.ipni.org/a/6084-1

Accepted species

; Species * ''

Romulea albiflora ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea albomarginata ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea antiatlantica'' Maire - Morocco * '' Romulea aquatica'' G.J.Lewis - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea arnaudii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea atranda ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea austinii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea autumnalis ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea barkerae'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea biflora ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea bifrons ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea bocchierii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea bulbocodium ''Romulea bulbocodium'' is one of the best-known species from the genus ''Romulea''. The plant, a member of the family Iridaceae, is native to the Mediterranean region (southern Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East) and Sudan.Romulea camerooniana ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea cedarbergensis ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea citrina ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea clusiana ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea collina ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea columnae ''Romulea columnae'', the sand crocus, is a herbaceous perennial in the family Iridaceae. It is a small plant, with thin narrow leaves, and small scape which has small pink, pale purple or violet pointed flowers with darker veining and a gold or ...

'' Sebast. & Mauri - Mediterranean region from Morocco + Portugal to Syria, Great Britain, Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores * ''

Romulea congoensis ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea corsica ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea cruciata ''Romulea cruciata'' is a herbaceous perennial in the family Iridaceae. It is endemic to the Cape Province in South Africa.Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-12 ...

'' (Jacq.) Bég. - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea cyrenaica'' Bég. - Libya * '' Romulea dichotoma'' (Thunb.) Baker - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea discifera'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea diversiformis'' M.P.de Vos - Sutherland in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea eburea'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Roggeveld Escarpment in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea eburnea'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea elliptica ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea englerii'' Bég. - Morocco * '' Romulea eximia'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea fibrosa ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea fischeri'' Pax - Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Socotra, Yemen, Saudi Arabia * ''

Romulea flava ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea flexuosa'' Klatt - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea florentii'' Moret - southeastern France * '' Romulea gigantea'' Bég. - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea gracillima ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea hallii'' M.P.de Vos - Roggeveld Escarpment in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea hantamensis'' (Diels) Goldblatt - Hantamsberg in Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea hirsuta ''Romulea hirsuta'' is a Storage organ, geophyte from South Africa. It has pink flowers with dark marks at the edges of the yellow center. Description ''Romulea hirsuta'' is a cormous plant which grows to a height of tall. The stem may be fou ...

'' (Steud. ex Klatt) Baker - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea hirta ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea jugicola'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea kamisensis'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea komsbergensis'' M.P.de Vos - Roggeveld Escarpment in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea leipoldtii'' Marais - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea ligustica ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea lilacina'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea × limbarae ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea linaresii'' Parl. - Sicily, Greece, Turkey, Tunisia * ''

Romulea longipes ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea lutea ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea luteiflora'' (M.P.de Vos) M.P.de Vos - Cape Province, Lesotho * '' Romulea macowanii'' Baker - Cape Province, Free State, Lesotho * ''

Romulea maculata ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea malaniae'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea maroccana ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea melitensis'' Bég. - Malta, Gozo * '' Romulea membranacea'' M.P.de Vos - near Middelpos in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea minutiflora'' Klatt - Cape Province; naturalized in Australia * '' Romulea monadelpha'' (Sweet ex Steud.) Baker - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea montana ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea monticola ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea multifida'' M.P.de Vos - Roggeveld Escarpment in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea multisulcata'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea namaquensis'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea nivalis'' (Boiss. & Kotschy) Klatt - Mount Hermon in Syria + Lebanon * '' Romulea numidica'' Jord. & Fourr. - Morocco, Algeria * '' Romulea obscura'' Klatt - Cape Province; naturalized in Australia * †''

Romulea papyracea ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea pearsonii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea penzigii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea petraea ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea phoenicia'' Mouterde - Lebanon, Syria, Jordan * '' Romulea pilosa'' Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea pratensis ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea pudica'' (Sol. ex Ker Gawl.) Baker - Bokkeveld in Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea quartzicola ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea ramiflora'' Ten. - Mediterranean from Morocco + Portugal to Turkey * '' Romulea requienii'' Parl. - Corsica, Sardinia * '' Romulea revelieri'' Jord. & Fourr. - Corsica, several small Italian islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea * ''

Romulea rosea ''Romulea rosea'' is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Iridaceae. It is a small plant, usually less than 20 cm high, with grass-like leaves. The flowers, which appear in spring, are pink with a yellow throat. Common names include Gu ...

'' (L.) Eckl. - Cape Province; naturalized in France, Chile, Australia, California, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha * '' Romulea rupestris'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea sabulosa'' Schltr. ex Bég. - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea saldanhensis ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea sanguinalis'' M.P.de Vos - Bokkeveld in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea saxatilis'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea schlechteri'' Bég. - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea setifolia ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea singularis'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea sinispinosensis ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea sladenii'' M.P.de Vos - Gifberg Plateau in Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea speciosa'' (Ker Gawl.) Baker - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea sphaerocarpa ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea stellata'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea sulphurea'' Bég - Pakhuis Mountains, Western Cape province of South Africa * ''

Romulea subfistulosa ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea syringodeoflora ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea tabularis ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea tempskyana'' Freyn - Cyprus, Turkey, Greek Islands, Israel, Palestine * ''

Romulea tetragona ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea tortilis'' Baker - Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea tortuosa ''Romulea tortuosa'' is a herbaceous perennial geophyte in the family Iridaceae native to South Africa. It has a small corm in the soil, a few prostrate coiling leaves, and fragrant, trimerous yellow flowers, sometimes with six brown blotches on ...

'' (Licht. ex Roem. & Schult.) Baker - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea toximontana'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea triflora'' (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea tubulosa'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea unifolia'' M.P.de Vos - Cape Province of South Africa * '' Romulea vaillantii'' Quézel - Algeria * ''

Romulea villaretii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Romulea vinacea'' M.P.de Vos - Pakhuis Pass in Cape Province of South Africa * ''

Romulea viridibracteata ''Romulea viridibracteata'' is a herbaceous perennial tuberous geophyte in the family Iridaceae. It is native to Pakhuis Pass in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.Romulea vlokii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is found in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. Iridaceae genera