Habranthus

Habranthus
Habranthus tubispathus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Amaryllidoideae
Genus:	Habranthus Herb.
Synonyms
Zephyranthella (Pax) Pax Haylockia Herb.

Habranthus robustus

A group of Habranthus tubispathus blooming after a rain shower in Denton, Texas.

Habranthus is a genus of tender herbaceous flowering bulbs in the Amaryllidaceae family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae.^[1] The genus was first identified by pioneering bulb enthusiast William Herbert in 1824. The species are native to the Americas, from (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Mexico, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay), but several species are naturalized in other parts of the world West Indies, India, South Africa, Mauritius, Colombia, Easter Island, and the southeastern United States.^[2]

Description

Along with Zephyranthes and Cooperia, Habranthus is one of several related genera commonly known as rain lilies. All three have starry, funnel-shaped flowers and are native to tropical and semi-tropical regions of the Americas. Flowers are either solitary or in umbels of up to 4 flowers,^[3] and typically appear in late spring through to autumn in response to rain. Individual bulbs are often capable of blooming more than once per year.^[4]

Habranthus is distinct from Zephyranthes in holding its flowers at an angle rather than upright and in having unequal stamens.^[5] It also has less symmetrical flowers.

Taxonomy

At one stage, Habranthus was considered a subgenus of the closely related Hippeastrum.^[6]

Cultivation

In the United States, Habranthus, like other rain lilies, is regarded as an "heirloom plant", although it is not widely used in mainstream landscapes, perhaps because its bloom time, dependent on rain, is erratic. Nevertheless, the bulbs are rugged and easy to grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10 and are recognized among bulb specialists as possessing distinct landscape value in appropriate areas of the world.^[7] In colder regions they may be grown in sheltered sites, or in pots kept frost-free in winter.^[5]

The most commonly grown species are the pink-flowered H. robustus and the yellow-flowered H. tubispathus.^[5]

List of species

The list of species accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as of May 2011 is shown below.^[8]

References

• Howard, Thad M. Bulbs for Warm Climates. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2001, pp 77-82.

External links

• International Bulb Society's gallery of photographs
• Pacific Bulb Society's gallery of photographs
• Habranthus entry in Flora of North America