Cyanella is a genus of Southern Africa in the Tecophilaeaceae family that grows from a corm. Five of the seven species are found in the Cape Floral Province.

Cyanella alba has one or two white, pink, or yellow flowers on long pedicels. It flowers late winter to spring and grows on stony clay and sandstone soils in dry winter rainfall areas. This beautiful yellow form pictured first occurs in the Biedouw Valley, but is not common in cultivation. This first photo was taken at the Karoo Botanical Garden in Worchester, August 2003 and the second photo was of plants grown by Jim Holmes and on display at the IBSA Bulb and Corm Symposium August 2003. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller.
Cyanella alba, yellow form, Karoo Desert NBG Cyanella alba, yellow form, IBSA Symposium 2003
Photos taken of the yellow form near the Biedouw Valley September 2006 by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.
Cyanella alba, yellow form, Biedouw Valley, Bob Rutemoeller Cyanella alba, yellow form, Biedouw Valley, Mary Sue Ittner Cyanella alba, yellow form, Biedouw Valley, Mary Sue Ittner
Photos below were taken by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner of the white form which is more common, seen south of Nieuwoudtville in the Bokkeveld Plateau September 2006. In the first picture it is growing with Moraea pritzeliana.
Cyanella alba, Moraea pritzeliana near Nieuwoudtville, Bob Rutemoeller Cyanella alba near Nieuwoudtville, Mary Sue Ittner Cyanella alba near Nieuwoudtville, Mary Sue Ittner

Cyanella cygnea is a species from northern Namaqualand which is distinguished by the upper 3 stamens that are free and curved like the neck of a swan. Photo of plants grown at the Karoo Desert NBG in South Africa taken August 2003 by Bob Rutemoeller.
Cyanella cygnea seen at the Karoo Desert NBG

Cyanella lutea flowers late spring. It has yellow flowers, rarely pink and is found on clay or limestone flats over a broad area from southern Namibia to Lesothos, Botswana and including areas of winter rainfall, year round rainfall and summer rainfall. The first one was photographed in Montagu in the Little Karoo in September 2003 by Bob Rutemoeller. My garden plants of this species often spend the year underground, especially after being transplanted. I dug out bulbs to redo a bed and wasn't sure what the bulb looked like to rescue it. Blooming in April the following year in a container composed of unknown bulbs I couldn't figure out, it appeared again. Second photo by Mary Sue Ittner
Cyanella lutea photographed in Montagu by Bob Rutemoeller Cyanella lutea, garden, Mary Sue Ittner
Photos taken by Mary Sue Ittner near Calvinia September 2006.
Cyanella lutea photographed near Calvinia by Mary Sue Ittner Cyanella lutea photographed near Calvinia by Mary Sue Ittner Cyanella lutea photographed near Calvinia by Mary Sue Ittner

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