Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 25, 2026

Tecophilaea

Tecophilaea is a genus of cormous plants in the family Tecophilaeaceae. There are two known species, both native to southern South America.

Last revised
Jun 25, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
376 w
Citations
17
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Tecophilaea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Tecophilaeaceae
Genus: Tecophilaea
Bertero ex Colla
Type species
Tecophilaea violiflora Bertero ex Colla1
Species

See here

It is endemic to Peru and Chile2
Synonyms3
  • Distrepta Miers without description
  • Poeppigia Kunze ex Rchb. without description
  • Phyganthus Poepp. & Endl.

Tecophilaea is a genus of cormous plants in the family Tecophilaeaceae. There are two known species, both native to southern South America.3

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Tecophilaea are perennial, cormous4 herbs45

Generative characteristics

The trilocular capsule fruit bears many seeds.6

Taxonomy

It was validly published by Luigi Aloysius Colla in 183661 based on previous work by Carlo Luigi Giuseppe Bertero. The type species is Tecophilaea violiflora Bertero ex Colla.1 It is the type genus of its family Tecophilaeaceae Leyb.7

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.8

Species

Species3

Image Scientific name Distribution
Tecophilaea cyanocrocus Leyb. Santiago Province in Chile
Tecophilaea violiflora Bertero ex Colla Lima Province in Peru, Coquimbo + Santiago Provinces in Chile

Conservation

Tecophilaea cyanocrocus was believed to be extinct in the wild, but was rediscovered in 2001.910

Distribution

It is endemic to Peru and Chile.2

References

References

  1. Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-x). Tecophilaea Bertero ex Colla. Tropicos. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/40010590
  2. Tecophilaea Bertero ex Colla. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:19500-1
  3. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. Tecophilaea cyanocrocus “Violacea.” (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/94374/tecophilaea-cyanocrocus-violacea/details
  5. Tecophilaea. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://eol.org/pages/100586
  6. Colla, 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
  7. Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-y). Tecophilaeaceae Leyb. Tropicos. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/50304862
  8. 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.
  9. Eyzaguirre, M. T., & García de la Huerta, R. (2002). Tecophilaea cyanocrocus leyb.(tecophilaeceae) redescubierta en su hábitat natural. Gayana. Botánica, 59(2), 73-77.
  10. 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