Agapanthus africanus
African lily
Agapantus africanus, commonly known as the African Lily, is a striking perennial valued for its dramatic, trumpet-shaped blooms. Beyond its ornamental beauty, this plant holds significance in traditional herbal practices. Its hardy nature and unique physiological properties make it a fascinating subject for those exploring botanical medicine and landscaping.
- Scientific name: Agapanthus africanus
- Family: Amaryllidaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Amaryllidaceae and the genus Agapantus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asparagales | WCVP |
| Family | Amaryllidaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Agapanthus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Agapanthus africanus, is recognized by various common names across different languages and regions. In Poland, it is referred to as agapant afrykański, while in Afrikaans, it is called Kleinbloelilie. It is known as afrikansinisarja in Finnish and as Afriska pyšnica in Upper Sorbian. Additionally, in Malayalam, the plant is known as നൈലിന്റെ ലില്ലി.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pl | agapant afrykański | Wikidata |
| af | Kleinbloulelie | Wikidata |
| fi | afrikansinisarja | Wikidata |
| hsb | Afriska pyšnica | Wikidata |
| ml | നൈലിന്റെ ലില്ലി | Wikidata |
| de | Afrikanische Schmucklilie | Wikidata |
| fa | گل نرگس آفریقایی | Wikidata |
| te | అగాపాంతస్ ఆఫ్రికానస్ | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 百子蓮 | Wikidata |
| be | агапантус афрыканскі | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily native to the Cape Provinces within the Southern Africa region. Beyond its natural habitat, it has established a presence on the remote island of Ascension in the Middle Atlantic Ocean. Its distribution also extends to the West Himalaya located across the Indian Subcontinent. In North America, the species can be found throughout Mexico Central. Finally, it is also documented to grow within the Mexico Gulf region.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Africa | Cape Provinces | WCVP |
| Middle Atlantic Ocean | Ascension | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | West Himalaya | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Central | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Gulf | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southwest | WCVP |
| Mexico | Mexico Southeast | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Jamaica | WCVP |
| Caribbean | Trinidad-Tobago | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Agapanthus africanus, possesses distinct structural components that contribute to its growth and survival. Its underground parts consist of sturdy rhizomes, which serve as the primary storage organs for nutrients and allow the plant to persist through various environmental conditions. Emerging from these rhizomes are the leaves, which are typically long, strap-shaped, and fleshy, providing the necessary surface area for photosynthesis to fuel the plant's development.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 4
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| underground parts | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rhizomes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Agapanthus africanus has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,3,5-Triphenylcyclohexane, 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, phytol.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1,3,5-Triphenylcyclohexane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| n-hexadecanoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phytol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Agapanthus africanus has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include small-cell lung cancer, cancer.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| small-cell lung cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |