Griffinia is a genus of monocotyledonous plants in the Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllidoideae is the subfamily of flowering plants that takes its name from the genus Amaryllis. It is part of the family Amaryllidaceae, in order Asparagales...

 family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. It includes 21 species which are endemic to South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. The most closely related genus to it is the monotypic Worsleya

Worsleya

The genus Worsleya contains only one species, Worsleya procera, previously known as Worsleya rayneri. It is one of the largest and rarest members of the subfamily Amaryllidoideae . Worsleya is a tropical plant. This species is also known as the empress of Brazil because of its origin in South...

. The members of the genus Griffinia are tropical, bulbous plants which grow in high levels of humidity. The leaves are green, petiolate, elliptical, sometimes with white speckles on them. The flowers are typical for the tribe - lilac or blue colored (although there are also white - colored species) and collected into an umbel

Umbel

An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....

. Many of the members in this genus are endangered because of the deforestation of their habitat.

Taxonomy

The genus Griffinia includes 2 subgenera and 21 species.

• Subgenus Griffinia - includes the typical blue - flowering members of the genus.
  • Griffinia alba
  • Griffinia aracensis
  • Griffinia arifolia
  • Griffinia colatinensis
  • Griffinia concinna
  • Griffinia cordata
  • Griffinia espiritensis
  • Griffinia hyacinthina
    Griffinia hyacinthina
    Griffinia hyacinthina is a bulbous species of flowering plant which is endemic to Brazil. The plant has blue flowers , collected into an umbel. The leaves are green, elliptical and petiolate....
    
    
  • Griffinia ilheusiana
  • Griffinia intermedia
  • Griffinia itambensis
  • Griffinia leucantha
  • Griffinia liboniana
  • Griffinia mucurina
  • Griffinia ornata
  • Griffinia parviflora
  • Griffinia paubrasilica
  • Griffinia rochae
  • Griffinia rostrata
• Subgenus Hyline - includes white - flowering, fragrant members.
  • Griffinia nocturna
    Griffinia nocturna
    Griffinia nocturna is a bulbous species of flowering plant which is endemic to Brazil. Together with another closely related species, Griffinia gardneriana, it forms its own subgenus in the genus Griffinia named Hyline. A distinguishing feature of G...
    
    
  • Griffinia gardneriana