Tecophilaea is a genus of cormous plants in the family Tecophilaeaceae. There are two known species, both native to southern South America.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Description Vegetative characteristics Tecophilaea are perennial, cormousTecophilaea cyanocrocus “Violacea.” (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/94374/tecophilaea-cyanocrocus-violacea/details herbsTecophilaea. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://eol.org/pages/100586 Generative characteristics The trilocular capsule fruit bears many seeds.
Taxonomy It was validly published by Luigi Aloysius Colla in 1836Colla, Luigi. (1833). Herbarium Pedemontanum; juxta methodum naturalem dispositum, additis nonnullis stirpibus exoticis ad universos ejusdem methodi ordines exhibendos (Vol. 5, p. 447). Ex Typis Regis. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31362114 based on previous work by Carlo Luigi Giuseppe Bertero. The type species is Tecophilaea violiflora . It is the type genus of its family Tecophilaeaceae Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-y). Tecophilaeaceae Leyb. Tropicos. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/50304862 Etymology The genus Tecophilaea was named after the botanical artist Tecophila Billotti, the daughter of the Italian botanist Luigi Aloysius Colla, who published the genus.Dale W. McNeal 2012, Tecophilaeaceae, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=93794, accessed on February 12, 2025.
Species Species Image Scientific name DistributionTecophilaea cyanocrocus Santiago Province in ChileTecophilaea violiflora Lima Province in Peru, Coquimbo + Santiago Provinces in Chile
Conservation Tecophilaea cyanocrocus was believed to be extinct in the wild, but was rediscovered in 2001.Eyzaguirre, M. T., & García de la Huerta, R. (2002). Tecophilaea cyanocrocus leyb.(tecophilaeceae) redescubierta en su hábitat natural. Gayana. Botánica, 59(2), 73-77.Holmes, B. (n.d.). Tecophilaea cyanocrocus Leyb. (1862:370) Chilean blue crocus. The Recently Extinct Plants and Animals Database. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://recentlyextinctspecies.com/asparagales-aloes-asparagus-garlic-irises-onions-etc/tecophilaea-cyanocrocus
Distribution It is endemic to Peru and Chile.
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