UCONN UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Biodiversity Education & Research Greenhouses

  • Collections
  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Outreach
  • Visiting
  • Staff
  • IPM Info
  • Support the Greenhouse

Accession Data:

Bowiea volubilis Harv. ex Hook. f.

  • Common Name: Climbing Onion
  • Family: Asparagaceae Juss.

  • Country of Origin: Uganda to S. Africa
  • Habitat: Semi-arid areas of eastern South Africa

  • Description: This South African species has a partially exposed bright green fleshy bulb up to 8 in (20 cm) in diameter. The true leaves that emerge from the bulb are small, very short lived and easily overlooked, but they are replaced by the scrambling or twining, much-branched green flowering stems up to 15 ft (4 m) long which are scattered with starry, green flowers to 5/8 inch diameter, perianth segments becoming reflexed.
  • Culture: They are usually claimed by the succulent enthusiasts, who like to grow them with the bulb displayed above the soil, though that is not necessarily the way they grow in the wild. Cultivation is not too difficult in a container such as a large pot or a hanging basket, provided that the soil is gritty and perfectly drained and the plant is placed in strong light. Stakes or wires can be provided for the climbing branches, or they can be allowed to hang down. The plant should be watered very sparingly except during the growing season, when new stems emerge from the bulb. Propagation is normally from seed.
  • USDA Zone: 9

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

Accession Data:

  • Accession # 198501019
  • Source: Unknown
  • Accession Date: 12-31-1985
  • Bench: 2205 - XER:Namib / Karoo B
    • Currently: active - healthy
    • Qty: 3 confirmed on 04-23-2018

Classification:

  • Division: Magnoliophyta
  • Class: Liliopsida
  • SubClass: monocots
  • Order: Asparagales
  • SubOrder:
  • Family: Asparagaceae
  • SubFamily: Scilloideae
  • Tribe: Urgineeae
  • SubTribe:

References (internal):

  • EEB 3271 - Systematic Botany
  • EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Kenya / Tanzania / Uganda / Angola / Malawi / Mozambique / Zimbabwe / Cape Provinces / Namibia / KwaZulu-Natal / Free State / Northern Provinces

References (external):

  1. Botanica, Turner & Wasson, 1997, CD-ROM Version
  2. The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Monday, April 02, 2018.
  3. WCSP (2017). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on Monday, April 02, 2018.

data regenerated on Mon, 23 Apr 2018 12:22:01 -0400

Images:

Bowiea volubilis

Additional images for this accession:

Click on thumbnails to enlarge

Current Accessions in the Asparagaceae

Subfamily Agavoideae

  • Agave americana 'Marginata'
  • Agave americana
  • Agave cf parryi
  • Agave cf stricta
  • Agave cf. titanota
  • Agave geminiflora W/C
  • Agave guiengola W/C
  • Agave murpheyi
  • Agave nizandensis
  • Agave parrasana
  • Agave parryi
  • Agave polianthiflora
  • Agave schidigera
  • Agave sisalana
  • Agave tequilana
  • Agave victoriae-reginae
  • Agave victoriae-reginae
  • Beschorneria septentrionalis
  • Chlorophytum comosum cv.
  • Furcraea foetida
  • Hosta sieboldiana
  • Hosta tsushimensis W/C
  • Manfreda maculosa
  • Polianthes tuberosa
  • Yucca glauca

Subfamily Asparagoideae

  • Asparagus africanus
  • Asparagus densiflorus 'Meyerii'
  • Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri'
  • Asparagus setaceus

Subfamily Lomandroideae

  • Arthropodium candidum
  • Cordyline fruticosa
  • Eustrephus latifolius
  • Lomandra longifolia

Subfamily Nolinoideae

  • Eriospermum cf. dregei
  • Eriospermum cooperi W/C
  • Eriospermum corymbosum W/C
  • Eriospermum paradoxum

Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Convallarieae

  • Aspidistra elatior
  • Reineckea carnea

Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Dracaeneae

  • Dracaena aubryana
  • Dracaena draco
  • Dracaena fragrans
  • Dracaena reflexa
  • Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia
  • Sansevieria aethiopica
  • Sansevieria aff. concinna W/C
  • Sansevieria concinna
  • Sansevieria cylindrica var. patula
  • Sansevieria kirkii var pulchra
  • Sansevieria masoniana
  • Sansevieria parva
  • Sansevieria trifasciata
  • Sansevieria trifasciata
  • Sansevieria unidentified

Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Nolineae

  • Beaucarnea recurvata
  • Calibanus hookeri
  • Dasylirion cf longissimum

Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Ophiopogoneae

  • Liriope muscari 'Variegata'
  • Ophiopogon jaburan Argenteo-marginatus
  • Ophiopogon japonicus

Subfamily Nolinoideae
Tribe Rusceae

  • Ruscus aculeatus
  • Ruscus hypoglossum
  • Semele androgyna

Subfamily Scilloideae
Tribe Hyacintheae

  • Leopoldia longipes
  • Hyacinthinae: Scilla peruviana
  • Massoniinae: Drimiopsis botryoides
  • Massoniinae: Drimiopsis maculata
  • Massoniinae: Eucomis bicolor
  • Massoniinae: Eucomis vandermerwei W/C
  • Massoniinae: Lachenalia aloides
  • Massoniinae: Lachenalia bulbifera
  • Massoniinae: Lachenalia ensifolia
  • Massoniinae: Lachenalia rubida
  • Massoniinae: Lachenalia unifolia W/C
  • Massoniinae: Lachenalia viridiflora
  • Massoniinae: Ledebouria socialis
  • Massoniinae: Massonia depressa W/C
  • Massoniinae: Massonia pygmaea
  • Massoniinae: Polyxena sp. W/C
  • Massoniinae: Veltheimia bracteata

Subfamily Scilloideae
Tribe Ornithogaleae

  • Albuca bracteata
  • Albuca bracteata W/C
  • Albuca cf. spiralis
  • Albuca concordiana W/C
  • Albuca virens W/C
  • Albuca concordiana W/C
  • Ornithogalum graminifolium W/C
  • Ornithogalum hispidulum W/C
  • Ornithogalum sardienii W/C
  • Ornithogalum thyrsoides

Subfamily Scilloideae
Tribe Urgineeae

  • Bowiea volubilis
  • Bowiea volubilis ssp. gariepensis W/C
  • Bowiea volubilis ssp. gariepensis
  • Bowiea volubilis ssp. volubilis
  • Drimia haworthioides
  • Drimia platyphylla W/C
  • Drimia sp. W/C
  • Drimia uniflora W/C
  • Schizobasis intricata
W/C = Wild Collected
= indicates flowering in past 10 days
= images available for this accession
= map available for this accession
= voucher(s) on file at CONN for this accession
  • © University of Connecticut
  • Disclaimers, Privacy & Copyright