Rhodophiala
Rhodophiala is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae[2]). It consists of 28 South American species distributed in southern Brazil, Argentina, and, specially, in Chile.
Description
Members of Rhodophiala look like small-flowered hippeastrums or multiflowered habranthi. It has been placed in Hippeastrum, in the former Amaryllis or even in a new genus Rhodolirium. The foliage, narrowly strap-shaped leaves, is very different from all known hippeastrums and rather resembles that of the large flowered Habranthus or Zephyranthes.
Species
The list of Rhodophiala species, with their complete scientific name and authority, is given below.[3]
- Rhodophiala advena (Ker Gawl.) Traub,[4] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala ananuca (Phil.) Traub, [4] from Northern Chile.
- Rhodophiala andicola (Poepp.) Traub, [4] distributed from Chile to Argentina (Neuquén).
- Rhodophiala andina Phil.,[5] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala araucana (Phil.) Traub, [4] distributed from Chile to Southern Argentina.
- Rhodophiala bagnoldii (Herb.) Traub, [6] from Northern and Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala bakeri (Phil.) Traub, [4] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala berteroana (Phil.) Traub, [6] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala bifida (Herb.) Traub,[7] distributed from Southern Brazil to Argentina (Buenos Aires).
- Rhodophiala biflora Phil.,[8] from Chile.
- Rhodophiala chilensis (L'Hér.) Traub, [4] from Chile.
- Rhodophiala cipoana Ravenna,[9] endemic to Brazil (Minas Gerais).
- Rhodophiala colonum (Phil.) Traub, [4] from Southern Chile.
- Rhodophiala consobrina (Phil.) Traub, [6] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala flava (Phil.) Traub, [4] from Southern Chile.
- Rhodophiala fulgens (Hook.f.) Traub, [4] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala gilliesiana (Herb.) ined. distributed from Chile to Southern Argentina.
- Rhodophiala lineata (Phil.) Traub, [4] from Chile.
- Rhodophiala maculata (L'Hér.) Ravenna,[10] from Chile.
- Rhodophiala moelleri (Phil.) Traub, [6] from Southern Chile.
- Rhodophiala montana (Phil.) Traub, [4] from Chile.
- Rhodophiala phycelloides (Herb.) Hunz.,[11] fropm Chile.
- Rhodophiala popetana (Phil.) Traub, [4] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala pratensis (Poepp.) Traub,[12] from Northern and Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala rhodolirion (Baker) Traub, [4] distributed from Chile to Argentina (Mendoza).
- Rhodophiala rosea (Sweet) Traub,[4] from Chile.
- Rhodophiala splendens (Renjifo) Traub, [4] from Central Chile.
- Rhodophiala tiltilensis (Traub & Moldenke) Traub, [6] from Central Chile.
Uses
Several species of ths genus are cultivated as ornamental plants. From the cultivation point of view Rhodophiala species can be separated in four groups:
- The autumn/winter/spring growing Chilean species that need a dry summer dormancy, like R. bagnoldi, R. ovalleana, R. splendens, and R. advena. All of them are better grown under frost free conditions although several of them can be quite tolerant to cooler conditions. Some flower in fall without leaves, others in spring together with leaves growth.
- The spring/summer growing species from the Andes of both Chile and Argentina. They spend a long very dry winter unders snow. They include R. rhodolirion, R. araucana, R. andicola, and R. elwesii. These need cool conditions during almost all the year but are half hardy in countries like England. Flowers are produced in spring together with the leaves in most cases.
- The autumn/winter/spring growing Rhodophiala bifida from Uruguay and Argentina. It is dormant in summer but it receives rains all the year. Therefore, it is intolerant to summer drought, that would make it lose the roots. It is quite hardy. Summers always long and hot in the wild. There is an interesting range of color forms in this easy species. As a rule, a population has flowers of a single color with few, if any, variant. It flowers in late summer before foliage production.[13]
References
External links