Starfish Lily

Ferraria is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, native to tropical and southern Africa. They are herbaceous corm-bearing plants growing to 30–45 cm tall. Some species have an unpleasant scent similar to rotting meat and are pollinated by flies, while others have a pleasant scent. The genus name is a tribute to Italian Jesuit Botanist and botanical artist Giovanni Baptista Ferrari.

They are grown as ornamental plants in gardens in subtropical regions.

Species

Ferraria brevifolia G.J.Lewis - Cape Province of South Africa

Ferraria candelabrum (Baker) Rendle - Angola, Zambia

Ferraria crispa Burm. (syn. F. undulata) - Cape Province; naturalized in Spain, Australia, Canary Islands, Madeira

Ferraria densepunctulata M.P.de Vos - Cape Province

Ferraria divaricata Sw. - Cape Province

Ferraria ferrariola (Jacq.) Willd. - Cape Province

Ferraria flava Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province

Ferraria foliosa G.J.Lewis - Cape Province

Ferraria glutinosa (Baker) Rendle - from Cape Province north to Zaïre

Ferraria macrochlamys (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province

Ferraria ornata Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province

Ferraria ovata (Thunb.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province

Ferraria parva Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province

Ferraria schaeferi Dinter - Cape Province, Namibia

Ferraria spithamaea (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Angola

Ferraria uncinata Sweet - Cape Province

Ferraria variabilis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Cape Province, Namibia

Ferraria welwitschii Baker - Zaïre, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola