Drimia

Morphological Summary

Drimia is a genus of bulbous plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Urgineoideae (formerly placed in Hyacinthaceae). It comprises around 100 species native primarily to Africa, with diversity centers in the southern and eastern parts of the continent, though some species extend into the Mediterranean region and southwestern Asia. Plants in this genus are characterized by large tunicate bulbs, basal leaves that often appear after flowering, and racemes or spikes of small white, greenish, or pinkish flowers. Many species contain cardiotoxic glycosides (bufadienolides) and have been used in traditional African and European medicine since antiquity.