Eleutherine is a small genus of herbaceous, perennial, bulbous plants in the family Iridaceae (order Asparagales), first described as a genus in 1843. It is native to Latin America and the West Indies, with member species recorded from the West Indies, South America (including Bolivia, northern Argentina and Paraguay), Mexico and Central America.
The best-known species, Eleutherine bulbosa, has spread well beyond its native range and is naturalized in parts of Africa (Zaire), the Indian Ocean (Réunion), and Asia (India, Cambodia, Vietnam), reflecting the genus's adaptability as a bulbous herb. Sources differ on how many species the genus contains: Wikipedia's species list names four (E. angusta, E. bulbosa, E. citriodora, E. latifolia), while the GBIF backbone currently recognizes two accepted descendant taxa.
The genus name is thought to derive from the Greek word eleuthera, meaning "free."
Etymology
The genus name Eleutherine may derive from the Greek word eleuthera, meaning "free."
Distribution
Eleutherine is native to Latin America and the West Indies. Individual species range from the West Indies and South America (Bolivia, northern Argentina, Paraguay) to Mexico and Central America; Eleutherine bulbosa has also naturalized outside its native range in Zaire, Réunion, India, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Taxonomy Notes
Species counts for the genus differ by source: Wikipedia's species list names four species (E. angusta, E. bulbosa, E. citriodora, E. latifolia), while the GBIF backbone currently lists only 2 accepted descendant taxa.
