Bomarea | |
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Bomarea sp., southern Ecuador Note leaf bases twisted 180° | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Liliales |
Family: | Alstroemeriaceae |
Tribe: | Alstroemerieae |
Genus: | Bomarea Mirb., 1804 |
Type species | |
Bomarea ovata[1] (Cav.) Mirb.
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Synonyms[2][3] | |
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Bomarea is one of the two major genera in the plant family Alstroemeriaceae. Most occur in the Andes,[4] but some occur well into Central America, Mexico and the West Indies.[2] Some species are grown as ornamental plants.[5][6][7]
These plants are similar to their relatives in Alstroemeria, but many take a twining form. Others stand freely upright. A distinctive morphological trait of most, if not all, Alstroemeriaceae is resupinate leaves. The blades twist from the base, taking an upside-down position on the stems.
Bomarea is divided into four subgenera, Baccata, Bomarea, Sphaerine, and Wichuraea. The largest is Bomarea with about 70 species.[8]
There are about 110[9] to 122 species[8] in the genus.