''Tecophilaea'' 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 ...

corm 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 ''c ...

ous plants in the family Tecophilaeaceae. There are two known species, both native to southern

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

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Description

Vegetative characteristics

''Tecophilaea'' are perennial, cormous''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' “Violacea.” (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/94374/tecophilaea-cyanocrocus-violacea/details herbs''Tecophilaea''. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://eol.org/pages/100586

Generative characteristics

The trilocular capsule fruit bears many seeds.

Taxonomy

It was validly published by Luigi Aloysius Colla in 1836Colla, Luigi. (1833). Herbarium Pedemontanum; juxta methodum naturalem dispositum, additis nonnullis stirpibus exoticis ad universos ejusdem methodi ordines exhibendos (Vol. 5, p. 447). Ex Typis Regis. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31362114 based on previous work by Carlo Luigi Giuseppe Bertero. The type species is ''Tecophilaea violiflora'' . It is the type genus of its family Tecophilaeaceae Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-y). Tecophilaeaceae Leyb. Tropicos. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/50304862

Etymology

The genus ''Tecophilaea'' was named after the botanical artist Tecophila Billotti, the daughter of the Italian botanist Luigi Aloysius Colla, who published the genus.Dale W. McNeal 2012, Tecophilaeaceae, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=93794, accessed on February 12, 2025.

Species

Conservation

''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' was believed to be extinct in the wild, but was rediscovered in 2001.Eyzaguirre, M. T., & García de la Huerta, R. (2002)
''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' leyb.(tecophilaeceae) redescubierta en su hábitat natural.
Gayana. Botánica, 59(2), 73-77.Holmes, B. (n.d.). ''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' Leyb. (1862:370) Chilean blue crocus. The Recently Extinct Plants and Animals Database. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://recentlyextinctspecies.com/asparagales-aloes-asparagus-garlic-irises-onions-etc/tecophilaea-cyanocrocus

Distribution

It is endemic to Peru and Chile.

References

Asparagales genera Flora of Southern America Tecophilaeaceae Flora of Peru Flora of Chile {{asparagales-stub