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Sparaxis (Greek word referring to the torn or lacerated spathes, a character which distinguishes this genus from Tritonia). Iridaceae. Wand-flower. Bulbs or corms with fibrous coating, the plants suitable for outdoor planting but grown mostly under glass.  

Sparaxis (Greek word referring to the torn or lacerated spathes, a character which distinguishes this genus from Tritonia). Iridaceae. Wand-flower. Bulbs or corms with fibrous coating, the plants suitable for outdoor planting but grown mostly under glass.  

Stems simple or slightly branched: lvs. few, flat, sword-like or broadly linear, erect or falcate: spathes few, remote or sometimes solitary, broad-striate or frequently marked with short brown lines: fls. 1 to a spathe, sessile, rather large, yellow; perianth-tube short and slender, 6-lobed; ovary 3-celled: caps. membranaceous, ovoid or oblong, included in the spathe.—About 3 species, Cape Colony, S. Afr. Sparaxis is a group of spring-blooming Cape bulbs of the Ixia tribe, with spikes of 6-petaled, more or less funnel-shaped fls. 1-2 in. across and exhibiting an extraordinary range of color and throat - markings. These plants are less popular than ixias, which they much resemble. The plants are dwarfer and more compact than ixias, usually 6-12 in. high, the spikes are shorter and fewer-fld., and the blossoms are sometimes larger. Sparaxis is essentially distinguished from Ixia and other allied genera by the subregular perianth, unilateral and arcuate stamens, and scarious lacerated spathe-valves.

Stems simple or slightly branched: lvs. few, flat, sword-like or broadly linear, erect or falcate: spathes few, remote or sometimes solitary, broad-striate or frequently marked with short brown lines: fls. 1 to a spathe, sessile, rather large, yellow; perianth-tube short and slender, 6-lobed; ovary 3-celled: caps. membranaceous, ovoid or oblong, included in the spathe.—About 3 species, Cape Colony, S. Afr. Sparaxis is a group of spring-blooming Cape bulbs of the Ixia tribe, with spikes of 6-petaled, more or less funnel-shaped fls. 1-2 in. across and exhibiting an extraordinary range of color and throat - markings. These plants are less popular than ixias, which they much resemble. The plants are dwarfer and more compact than ixias, usually 6-12 in. high, the spikes are shorter and fewer-fld., and the blossoms are sometimes larger. Sparaxis is essentially distinguished from Ixia and other allied genera by the subregular perianth, unilateral and arcuate stamens, and scarious lacerated spathe-valves.

Although a few plants of sparaxis are occasionally cultivated in America by bulb-fanciers, one may search through many American catalogues without finding them listed. The Dutch bulb-growers offer twenty-five distinct kinds, which is perhaps a quarter of the number of varieties of ixias in cultivation. According to J. G. Baker, there is "only one species in a broad sense, varying indefinitely in the size and coloring of the flowers." For practical purposes Baker recognizes the three species given below; of these the most important and variable is S. tricolor. Sparaxis pulcherrima of the Dutch trade is properly Dierama pulcherrima, Baker. This grows as much as 6 feet high and has pendulous bright blood-purple flowers but apparently with pale rose and perhaps other varieties (also a white variety). It is distinguished by its pendulous flowers with regular perianth, simple style-branches, equilateral stamens, and large bracts which are not laciniate. B.M. 5555. F.S. 17:1810. Gn. 20:588; 44, p. 281. G. 16:386; 29:197. G.L. 27:152. This plant is said by F. W. Burbidge to be "perhaps the most graceful of all the Cape irids." (See Vol. II, page 1007.)

Although a few plants of sparaxis are occasionally cultivated in America by bulb-fanciers, one may search through many American catalogues without finding them listed. The Dutch bulb-growers offer twenty-five distinct kinds, which is perhaps a quarter of the number of varieties of ixias in cultivation. According to J. G. Baker, there is "only one species in a broad sense, varying indefinitely in the size and coloring of the flowers." For practical purposes Baker recognizes the three species given below; of these the most important and variable is S. tricolor. Sparaxis pulcherrima of the Dutch trade is properly Dierama pulcherrima, Baker. This grows as much as 6 feet high and has pendulous bright blood-purple flowers but apparently with pale rose and perhaps other varieties (also a white variety). It is distinguished by its pendulous flowers with regular perianth, simple style-branches, equilateral stamens, and large bracts which are not laciniate.

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{{Taxobox

| name = ''Sparaxis''

{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

| image = Sparaxis-IMG 8734.jpg

 

| image_width = 250px

===Propagation===

| image_caption = Wandflower, ''[[Sparaxis tricolor]]''

{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

| regnum = [[Plant]]ae

 

| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]

===Pests and diseases===

| classis = [[monocotyledon|Liliopsida]]

{{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

 

| familia = [[Iridaceae]]

==Species==

| genus = '''''Sparaxis'''''

| genus_authority = [[John Bellenden Ker Gawler|Ker Gawl.]]

*''[[Sparaxis bulbifera]]'' is the commonest in cultivation, with flowers from cream to yellow or purple. {{wp}}

*''[[Sparaxis grandiflora]]'' is a similar to S. bulbifera but larger plant. {{wp}}

*''[[Sparaxis tricolor]]'' has bright red flowers with yellow and black centres. {{wp}}

See text.

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[[Image:Sparaxis-IMG 8733.jpg|thumb|300px|Sparaxis plants]]

Many named hybrid [[cultivar]]s were bred from ''S. bulbifera'' and ''S. tricolor''. {{wp}}

[[Image:Sparaxis-IMG 8847.jpg|thumb|300px|Sparaxis plants]]

'''''Sparaxis''''' (Harlequin Flower) is a genus in the family [[Iridaceae]] with about 13 species endemic to [[Cape Province]], [[South Africa]].

A group of species with asymmetrical flowers marked in mauve and yellow, including ''[[Sparaxis variegata]]'' and ''[[Sparaxis villosa]]'', was formerly treated as the genus ''Synnotia''.{{wp}}

All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flower in spring and survive underground as dormant [[corm]]s over summer. Their conspicuous flowers have six [[tepal]]s, which in most species are equal in size and shape.

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''[[Sparaxis bulbifera]]'' is the commonest in cultivation, with flowers from cream to yellow or purple. ''S. grandiflora'' is a similar but larger plant. ''[[Sparaxis tricolor]]'' has bright red flowers with yellow and black centres. Many named hybrid [[cultivar]]s were bred from ''S. bulbifera'' and ''S. tricolor''. 

Image:Upload.png| photo 1

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Image:Sparaxis-IMG 8733.jpg|Sparaxis plants

Image:Sparaxis-IMG 8847.jpg|Sparaxis plants

A group of species with asymmetrical flowers marked in mauve and yellow, including ''[[Sparaxis variegata]]'' and ''[[Sparaxis villosa]]'', was formerly treated as the genus ''Synnotia''.

*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

Goldblatt, P. (1999) ''Sparaxis''. Flora of Southern Africa 7: 151-169.

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