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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:
Monocot
Estimated genome size:
Size:
The smallest species in this genus, typically growing up to 25–30 cm high. The flowers have a width of 0.2– 0.5 cm.
Distribution:
Western Cape, South Africa
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
93.6 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
11.32 kilobases
Assembly N50:
1 521.96 kilobases
Contig number:
3 001
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Assembler used:
Flye
Genome Length:
0.34 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
99.8% [S: 82.4%, D: 17.4%]
BUSCO database:
viridiplantae
Wachendorfia multiflora
Kleinrooikanol / Brown butterfly lily
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Importance:
Wachendorfia multiflora has asymmetrical flowers, with styles deflected either to the right or left, resulting in roughly equal numbers of right- and left-morph plants. A genome assembly of the sister species, Wachendorfia paniculata, has identified a hemizygous region present only in right-morph plants. A high-quality assembly of the W. multiflora genome will enable comparative genomics to investigate the evolution of this supergene locus.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Prof. Nicola Illing
University of Cape Town
Date Published:
2026-03-09
Photo credit:
© N. Illing
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