New genus of the Alliaceae family

This new taxon belonging to the Alliaceae family was discovered in the Sekhukhuneland region, growing in seepage areas formed between sheets of exposed norite rock, at an altitude of more than 1800 m, above sea level, on the summit of the Leolo Mountains a few kilometres east of the highest peak at the southern end of the range.

The results of studies both morphological and cytotaxonomical, has led Canio Vosa to put forward the most probable hypothesis that the plant from the Leolo Mountains is a precursor of Tulbaghia.

With the publication of his work ‘Prototulbaghia, a new genus of Alliaceae family from the Leolo Mountains in Sekhukhuneland, South Africa.' (Caryologia Vol. 60, no 3: 273-278, 2007) by Canio Giuseppe Vosa, the plant has now been officially named Prototulbaghia siebertii in honour of its discoverer Dr. Stefan Siebert.