Freesia viridis

Freesia viridis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Freesia
Species:
F. viridis
Binomial name
Freesia viridis
Varieties

See here

Synonyms[1]
List
  • Anomatheca viridis (Aiton) Goldblatt
  • Gladiolus viridis Aiton
  • Lapeirousia viridis (Aiton) L.Bolus
  • Montbretia viridis (Aiton) Voigt
  • Tapeinia viridis (Aiton) F.Dietr.
  • Tritonia viridis (Aiton) Ker Gawl.
  • Waitzia viridis (Aiton) Kreysig in Verz. Warm. & Kalt.

Freesia viridis is a perennial, geophyte endemic to the Northern Cape and the Western Cape.[2] The species occurs from Hondeklip Bay to Bok Bay. The plant has lost its habitat to urban development.[1]

Taxonomy

It was first described as Gladiolus viridis Aiton by William Aiton in 1789.[3][4] It was moved to the genus Freesia Eckl. ex Klatt as Freesia viridis (Aiton) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning by Peter Goldblatt and John Charles Manning in 1995.[5]

Etymology

The specific epithet viridis means green.[6]

Varieties

It has two varieties:[1]

  • Freesia viridis subsp. crispifolia (Goldblatt) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt
  • Freesia viridis subsp. viridis

References

  1. ^ a b c "Freesia viridis (Aiton) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  2. ^ "SANBI Red List of South African Plants". Threatened Species Programme. 2021-09-29. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
  3. ^ Aiton, William, Bauer, Franz Andreas, Sowerby, James, Ehret, Georg Dionysius, & Nicol, George. (1789). Hortus Kewensis, or, A catalogue of the plants cultivated in the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew (Vol. 3, p. 481). Printed for George Nicol, Bookseller to his Majesty. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5875241
  4. ^ Gladiolus viridis Aiton. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved March 9, 2026, from https://www.ipni.org/n/437988-1
  5. ^ Freesia viridis (Aiton) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved March 9, 2026, from https://www.ipni.org/n/983611-1
  6. ^ Erica urna-viridis Bolus. (n.d.). PlantZAfrica. Retrieved March 9, 2026, from https://pza.sanbi.org/erica-urna-viridis