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Group:
Moncot
Estimated genome size:
50 to 100 cm in height
Size:
50 to 100 cm in height
Distribution:
Endemic to South Africa, the Miracle Clivia Lily is known to occur in the Oorlogskloof area near the town of Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape. The species has only been recorded in the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, where two subpopulations are found on the Bokkeveldberge plateau.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
426.45 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
12.38 kilobases
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Genome Length:
15.12 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
99.3% [S: 69.9%, D: 29.4%]
Importance:
Clivia mirabilis survives in an unusually arid environment compared with other Clivia species, which is why it is known as the “miracle lily”. Its distinctive hardiness has made it desirable for breeders seeking to improve ornamental Clivia lines. However, heavy illegal poaching has removed thousands of plants from the wild. This leaves the remaining population dangerously small and at risk of extinction in its natural habitat.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Felix Middleton
Clivia Society of South Africa
Group:
Eudicot
Estimated genome size:
Size:
1 m
Distribution:
This species is widely distributed across southern Africa, occurring in the Northern, Western, and Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Namibia. It is the most widely distributed South African shrubby euphorbia and is especially dominant in the Succulent Karoo, where it commonly occurs on valleys and hillsides.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
199.73 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
24.18 kilobases
Assembly N50:
46 174.4 kilobases
Contig number:
1 074
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Assembler used:
Hifiasm
Genome Length:
6.08 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
99.8% [S: 32.0%, D: 67.8%]
BUSCO database:
viridiplantae
Euphorbia mauritanica
Yellow milk bush
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Importance:
The yellow milk bush a is toxic to livestock and sometimes confused with another succulent shrub used as forage, but it is valued as a drought tolerant ornamental. In southern Africa, members of the Euphorbiaceae face increasing threats from illegal trade, highlighting the need for urgent conservation.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Mr Thabang Makola
South African National Biodiversity Institute
Date Published:
2026-02-09
Photo credit:
© T. Makola
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