Drimia altissima (L.f.) Ker Gawl.

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (30)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Victoria Falls NP.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road from EN1 to entrance gate Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Wafa-wafa Hills, near Kariba

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Along path from Chikukwa Camp to forest, Lower Chimanimani Mts

Photo: Bart Wursten
Bunga Camp, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Tony Benn
Serowe, Central District.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nhabawa Camp, Chimanimani National Conservation Area bufferzone.

Flowering Habit
Kalahari woodland
Mwala area, Shangombo District
Dec 2023
Photo: Nick Wightman

Flowers
Kalahari woodland
Mwala area, Shangombo District
Dec 2023
Photo: Nick Wightman

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Urginea altissima (L.f.) Baker Urginea micrantha (A. Rich.) Solms
Common names:	Tall white squill (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Tall perennial herb, up to 1 m tall, growing from a large bulb, often half above ground with tough, overlapping fleshy scales. Leaves tough, erect, up to 30 × 3 cm, absent at flowering time. Flowers in a dense terminal raceme, up to 60 cm long, white with a green midline on the outside of the tepals. Flowers opening in the morning, usually closing by midday.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	altissima: very tall
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Sep - Dec
Worldwide distribution:	Tropical and South Africa.
National distribution:
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 196 - 197. as Urginea altissima (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 126. Also as Urginea micrantha Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 85. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 91. as Urginea altissima Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 65. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 122. Shone, D.K. & Drummond, R.B. (1965). Poisonous Plants of Rhodesia Ministry of Agriculture, Rhodesia Pages 30 - 31. as Urginea altissima (Includes a picture). Stedje, B. (1996). Hyacinthaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 19 - 20. (Includes a picture). Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 108.

Other sources of information about Drimia altissima:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Drimia altissima
Flora of Caprivi: Drimia altissima
Flora of Malawi: Drimia altissima
Flora of Mozambique: Drimia altissima
Flora of Zambia: Drimia altissima
Flora of Zimbabwe: Drimia altissima

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Drimia altissima
African Plant Database: Drimia altissima
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Drimia altissima
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Drimia altissima
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Drimia altissima
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Drimia altissima
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Drimia altissima
JSTOR Plant Science: Drimia altissima
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Drimia altissima
Plants of the World Online: Drimia altissima
Tropicos: Drimia altissima
Wikipedia: Drimia altissima