Cyanella is a small genus of cormous perennial herbs in the family Tecophilaeaceae, order Asparagales, native to the winter-rainfall regions of southern Africa. The genus is endemic to South Africa and Namibia, with most species confined to the Cape Provinces and one species, C. hyacinthoides, naturalized in Western Australia. It was first described for modern science in 1754.
Plants grow from deeply seated corms and typically reach 20–30 cm in height. The flowers are delicate, with six spreading tepals in shades of white, yellow, or pink-purple, and are pollinated by bees. The common name "Ladieshands" (Afrikaans: ladieshand) refers to the graceful, finger-like arrangement of the flowers. Species such as Cyanella lutea, the yellow-flowered Lady's Hand, occur on clay and limestone flats from southern Namibia through the Cape to Lesotho and Botswana. Cyanella hyacinthoides and C. orchidiformis are among the more widespread Cape species.
The genus contains approximately nine accepted species. Corms are drought resistant once established, and the plants enter summer dormancy. C. lutea has been recorded as having edible, cooked corms by indigenous communities of southern Africa.
Etymology
The genus name Cyanella is a Latin diminutive derived from the Greek kyanos ("blue"), alluding to the blue or blue-tinged flowers found in some species. The common name "Ladieshands" (or "Ladies' Hand") describes the graceful spreading arrangement of the floral tepals.
Distribution
Cyanella is native to South Africa and Namibia, with the centre of diversity in the Cape Provinces. C. lutea ranges from southern Namibia through the Cape to Lesotho and Botswana; C. hyacinthoides is native to the Cape Province and has also naturalized in Western Australia. Most species are restricted to the winter-rainfall zone of the southwestern Cape.
Ecology
Species favour clay or limestone flats in the winter-rainfall regions of the southwestern Cape. Plants are drought resistant once dormant, with deeply seated corms that survive dry summers. Flowers are pollinated by bees. C. hyacinthoides is considered a naturalized weed in parts of Western Australia.
Cultivation
Plants prefer a light, sandy, well-drained soil in a warm, sunny position. They are frost tender (USDA zones 8–11; UK zone 9) and benefit from a good mulch in cooler climates. Corms should be planted about 15 cm deep in autumn to flower in spring, or in spring to flower in summer. Lift and store corms in a cool, dry place when foliage dies back each year.
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown thinly in autumn in a greenhouse; seedlings are grown in the same pot for their first year and potted on before planting out after the last frost. Alternatively, divide offsets when plants are dormant, potting smaller bulblets for a year before planting out. Plants raised from seed take 3–4 years to reach flowering size.
