TABLE 4. Differences among H. membranacea, H. parvula var. parvula, H. parvula var. albiflora, H in Hypoxis limicola and H. uniflorata (Hypoxidaceae) deserve species rank: multiple new lines of evidence

TABLE 4. Differences among H. membranacea, H. parvula var. parvula, H. parvula var. albiflora, H. limicola, and H. uniflorata.
CharacterH. membranaceaH. parvula var. parvulaH. parvula var. albifloraH. limicolaH. uniflorataFlowers per scape(1–)2 or 31(–2)1(–2)1(–2)1(–2)Tepal colourwhiteyellowwhiteyellowyellowTepal length (mm)4.5–8.0(7–)8–10(7–)8–102–65–8Filament typefiliformfiliformfiliformfiliformsubulateFlowersFilament colour Stigma shapewhite sphericalyellow sphericalyellow sphericalyellow sphericalyellow pyramidalBracts per stalk20(–1)0(–1)(0–)1–21(–2)Bract length (mm)3–61–41–45–7ca. 2Articulation between scape and pedicelinconspicuousinconspicuousinconspicuousdistinctly swolleninconspicuousShapelanceolatelanceolatelanceolatelanceolatelinearLeavesTexture Trichome distributionmembranous, adaxial surface with translucent pustules both surfaces, arises from pustulessoft to membranous, smooth or adaxial surface with translucent pustules both surfaces, arises from pustules when presentsoft to membranous, smooth or adaxial surface with translucent pustules both surfaces, arises from pustules when presentsoft to membranous, smooth or adaxial surface with translucent pustules both surfaces, arises from pustules when presentsoft to membranous, smooth both surfaces, midrib and veinsTrichome typestellate interspersed with simplebifurcate or stellate interspersed with simplebifurcate or stellate interspersed with simplebifurcate or stellate interspersed with simplebifurcate or stellateSize (mm)1.10–1.25 × 0.95–1.000.9–1.0 × 0.7–0.80.9–1.0 × 0.7–0.80.8–1.0 × 0.75–0.851.05–1.10 × 0.95–1.00Convex outer periclinal cell wall shapecolumellate and/or capitate/pilatecolliculate and/or columellatecolliculate and/or columellatecolliculate and/or columellatecolumellate and/or capitate/pilateSeedsDistribution pattern of micropapillae of different lengthsno clear pattern in distribution of different lengths across periclinal wallshorter at top of convex projection, getting longer across periclinal wall and again getting shorter/absent towards anticlinal boundariesshorter at top of convex projection, getting longer across periclinal wall and again getting shorter/absent towards anticlinal boundariesgets shorter towards anticlinal boundariesshorter at top of convex projection, getting longer across periclinal wall and again getting shorter towards anticlinal boundariesMicropapillae overlapcommonrarerarecommonrareDistributionRange Biome preference Altitude (m.a.s.l.)EC, KZN, MP forest/forest margin 20–900EC, FS, KZN, LS, MP grassland 1900–2200KZN (EC) grassland 1500–1850LP, MP, SZ grassland 1260–1980FS (KZN) grassland 1820–1900