Abstract
The flowers of Crinum variabile (Amaryllidaceae) exhibit the characteristics of sphingophily, including a longtubed, pale-coloured perianth that expands more fully at night, a strong sweet fragrance dominated by the acyclic terpenoid alcohol, linalool and abundant nectar. The hawkmoth Hyles lineata (Sphingidae) was recorded as a pollinator of the species. A total of 22 species of southern African Amaryllidaceae in the genera Crinum, Cyrtanthus and Pancratium conform to the syndrome of sphingophily. Sphingophilous species of Amaryllidaceae are widely distributed across southern Africa, most commonly in savannah and grassland but are almost absent from the winter-rainfall parts of the region. The uneven distribution of these species in southern Africa correlates with a shortage of appropriate larval food plants in the Cape Region.
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