Romulea

Romulea is a genus in the Iridaceae family of about 90 species that is found both in South Africa and in Europe. Rootstock is a corm, globose, bell shaped to top shaped, compressed or asymmetric with a circular to crescent shaped basal ridge. This genus has flowers reminiscent of Crocus. They are both in the subfamily Crocoideae and the tribe Croceae. Many are quite striking, especially the South African species and there is a great variation in color and markings of the flowers. They are easy to grow in pots and many are easy from seed, flowering rather quickly in some cases. We have made wiki pages for them based on geography and all species are also listed below with a link found in a table to the place on the correct wiki geographical pages.

There are three good references for the southern African species, The Genus Romulea in South Africa written by Miriam de Vos in 1972, her revision written in 1982 and a later revision from John Manning and Peter Goldblatt in 2001. Also Cameron McMaster has provided interesting information and photos in an article he wrote for Farmer's Weekly in 2008.

Most species of Romulea are not difficult to grow from seeds. Sow winter growing species in a well-drained medium in the fall and water well. It takes 4-6 weeks for seedlings to appear. If the seedlings don't come up the first year, they may the second year (Mary Sue Ittner). It is reported that they need a day/night fluctuation in temperature to sprout. Many growers have difficulties sprouting Romulea hantamensis. Seeds of that species should be fresh and stratified in the fridge for a few months. A little bit of fertilizer may help the seedlings develop better. Allow the plants to have a complete dry summer dormancy when the leaves have withered.


For photos and information of species select the appropriate wiki page:

or click on the name in the table below:


Romulea species
Romulea albiflora, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea albiflora
Romulea albomarginata, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea albomarginata
Romulea pudica, Nieuwoudtville, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Romulea amoena
Romulea aquatica, David Retief [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea aquatica
Romulea atrandra, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea atranda
Romulea austinii, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea austinii
Romulea autumnalis, Somerset East, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea autumnalis
Romulea biflora, Rachel Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea biflora
Romulea bulbocodium, Angelo Porcelli [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea bulbocodium
Romulea camerooniana, Michael Mace [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea camerooniana
Romulea camerooniana, Naude's Nek, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Romulea campanuloides
Romulea citrina, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea citrina
Romulea clusiana, Oron Peri [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea clusiana
Romulea columnae ssp. grandiscapa, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea columnae
Romulea bulbocodium var. crocea, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Romulea crocea
Romulea cruciata, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea cruciata
Romulea dichotoma, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea dichotoma
Romulea discifera, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea discifera
Romulea diversiformis, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea diversiformis
Romulea elliptica, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea elliptica
Romulea engleri, Jean-Claude Thiaudière, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea engleri
Romulea eximia, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea eximia
Romulea fibrosa, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea fibrosa
Romule flava, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea flava
Romulea gigantea, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea gigantea
Romulea columnae ssp. grandiscapa, Michael Mace [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Romulea grandiscapa
Romulea hallii, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea hallii
Romulea hantamensis, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea hantamensis
Romulea hirsuta, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea hirsuta
Romulea hirta, Nieuwoudtville, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea hirta
Romulea hybrids, Audrey Cain [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea hybrids
Romulea jugicola, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea jugicola
Romulea kamisensis, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea kamisensis
Romulea komsbergensis, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea komsbergensis
Romulea leipoldtii, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea leipoldtii
Romulea ligustica, Angelo Porcelli [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea ligustica
Romulea linaresii, David Renoult, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea linaresii
Romulea longipes, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea longipes
Romulea luteoflora, Middelpos, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea luteiflora
Romulea macowanii, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea macowanii
Romulea membranacea, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea membranacea
Romulea minutiflora, Roger Macfarlane [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea minutiflora
Romulea monadelpha, Middelpos, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea monadelpha
Romulea montana, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea montana
Romulea monticola, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea monticola
Romulea multisulcata, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea multisulcata
Romulea namaquensis, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea namaquensis
Romulea nivalis, Oron Peri [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea nivalis
Romulea obscura, Tinie Versveld, Andrew Harvie [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea obscura
Romulea pearsonii, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea pearsonii
Romulea phoenicia, Shmuel Silinsky [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea phoenicia
Romulea pilosa, Cameron and Rhoda McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea pilosa
Romulea pratensis, Cathcart, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea pratensis
Romulea pudica, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea pudica
Romulea quartzicola, Nick Helme [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea quartzicola
Romulea ramiflora, Yvain Dubois [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea ramiflora
Romulea rosea, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea rosea
Romulea sabulosa, Nieuwoudtville, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea sabulosa
Romulea saldanhensis, David Nicholson [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea saldanhensis
Romulea schlechteri, Rachel Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea schlechteri
Romulea setifolia, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea setifolia
Romulea sladenii, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea sladenii
Romulea sp., pollinator, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
E-M Romulea sp.
Romulea sp., Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
SA Romulea sp.
Romulea sphaerocarpa, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea sphaerocarpa
Romulea subfistulosa, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea subfistulosa
Romulea syringodeoflora, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea syringodeoflora
Romulea tabularis, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea tabularis
Romulea tempskyana, Alessandro Marinello [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea tempskyana
Romulea tetragona, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea tetragona
Romulea camerooniana, Naude's Nek, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Romulea thodei
Romulea toximontana, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea toximontana
Romulea tortuosa, Komsberg, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea tortuosa
Romulea triflora, Rod Saunders [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea triflora
Romulea unifolia, Cameron McMaster [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea unifolia
Romulea vinacea, Alan Horstmann [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea vinacea
Romulea vlokii, Jan and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Romulea vlokii
* = synonym

European And Mediterranean Romuleas - South African Romulea a-d - South African Romulea e-k - South African Romulea l-n - South African Romulea o-s - South African Romulea t-z


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