The genus Cryptostephanus in the Amaryllidaceae family is related to Clivia. Plants have a thick fleshy rhizome, are smaller than Clivia and have a different set of floral pigments. Two similar species once included in this genus are now classed as Cyrtanthus, Cyrtanthus herrei and Cyrtanthus merkenskyanus. These have bulbs and flat seeds, unlike Cryptostephanus. There are three species of Cryptostephanus.
Cryptostephanus densiflorus has 20-30 dark purple flowers.
Cryptostephanus haemanthoides is a deciduous species with red or purple flowers that some people have found to be difficult in cultivation. John Grimshaw has seen it growing in northern Tanzania in decomposed granite soil with not much humus, in seasonally very dry and hot areas. Rainfall there was about 500 mm/pa, but there was a dry season of 6 months or more. This species grows and flowers in the summer rainy season, when it must compete with rapidly growing grasses and other plants; in the dry season its sites look like a dry stubble field. Even in its dry season it likes to be kept warm.
Cryptostephanus vansonii as orginally described was purple. It is evergreen species from Zimbabwe. In cultivation are white and pink forms. It is apparently easy to germinate fresh seed and blooms in a couple years from seed. The one pictured was grown from seed from Silverhill Seeds. Most people grow it much as they do Clivia, but it doesn't require as much shade. Many of the white flowers have a pinkish cast to them. The flowers have gotten better each year. There are three scapes all blooming at the same time this year. These were taken October 2006 by Lee Poulsen.
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