Cyphia is a genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family (Campanulaceae), order Asterales, endemic to Africa. The genus is concentrated in South Africa but extends across sub-Saharan Africa from Namibia and Angola in the west to Ethiopia and Somalia in the northeast, and south to Lesotho and Eswatini. It is the sole genus in the subfamily Cyphioideae.
The genus is most closely allied to Lobelia, from which it can be distinguished by its flower colour and petal arrangement. Cyphia flowers range from white to mauve, in contrast to the bold blues and purples typical of lobelias. The corolla is distinctly bilabiate: three lobes are arranged on the upper lip and two on the lower — the inverse of the Lobelia pattern, which has two lobes above and three below.
Around 66 species are accepted, ranging from annuals to perennial herbs, often with tuberous or bulbous rootstocks. Notable members include Cyphia bulbosa, Cyphia volubilis, Cyphia digitata, and Cyphia glandulifera, the last of which has a wide range across East Africa.
Distribution
Cyphia is native to Africa, with the greatest diversity in South Africa. Individual species range across much of sub-Saharan Africa, including Namibia, Angola, Tanzania, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Botswana.
Taxonomy Notes
Cyphia has been placed in its own subfamily, Cyphioideae, within the family Campanulaceae. It is most closely related to Lobelia, sharing the same family (Asterales) but distinguished by reversed bilabiate corolla structure and flower colouration. GBIF records 29 accepted descendants; Wikipedia lists approximately 66 accepted species, reflecting differences in circumscription between authorities.
