Hymenocallis littoralis

Beach spider lily
Hymenocallis littoralis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Hymenocallis
Species: H. littoralis
Binomial name
Hymenocallis littoralis
(Jacq.) Salisb.
Synonyms[1]
  • Pancratium littoraleJacq.
  • Troxistemon littorale (Jacq.) Raf.
  • Hymenocallis adnata var. dryandri (Ker Gawl.) Kunth
  • Hymenocallis adnata var. staplesiana Herb.
  • Hymenocallis americana fo. staplesiana (Herb.) Voss
  • Hymenocallis arenaria Herb.
  • Hymenocallis dryandri (Ker Gawl.) Sweet
  • Hymenocallis insignis Kunth
  • Hymenocallis littoralis var. disticha (J. Sim) Herb.
  • Hymenocallis littoralis var. dryandri (Ker Gawl.) Herb.
  • Hymenocallis littoralis var. longituba Herb.
  • Hymenocallis panamensis Lindl.
  • Hymenocallis pedalis Herb.
  • Hymenocallis staplesiana (Herb.) M. Roem.
  • Hymenocallis tenuiflora Herb.
  • Pancratium americanum Mill.
  • Pancratium distichum J. Sim
  • Pancratium dryandri Ker Gawl.
  • Pancratium littorale var. dryandri (Ker Gawl.) Schult.

Hymenocallis littoralis or the beach spider lily is a plant species of the genus Hymenocallis, native to warmer coastal regions of Latin America and widely cultivated and naturalized in many tropical countries.[2]

Description

Hymenocallis littoralis is a bulbous perennial herb. It ranges in height from 60–70 cm (36 inches). The bulb is 7–10 cm (3-4 inches) in diameter. With age, the bulb develops a neck that reaches 4–5 cm in diameter (up to 2 inches). The flowers are large, white, vanilla scented, and sessile. The tepals are adnate (attached to) the staminal cup. Each flower's tube is 14 to 17 cm (5 to 7 inches) long or longer.[3]

Distribution

Hymenocallis littoralis is regarded as native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Brazil. It is considered naturalized in Florida, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Guinée, Central African Republic, São Tomé & Principe, Zaire (Congo-Kinshasa), Angola, Zambia, the Chagos Islands, Mauritius, Seychelles, Ogasawara ( 小笠原群島 Bonin Islands), India, Sri Lanka, Java, the Philippines, Bismark Archipelago, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Marquesas, Society Islands, Micronesia, Hawaii, Ecuador, French Guyana and Suriname.[4]

Horticulture

Hymenocallis littoralis is often grown as an ornamental. It requires sunlight to partial shade for proper growth and blooms from mid-summer to late autumn with white flowers. It may be grown aquatically.[5]

Hymenocallis littoralis is included in the Tasmanian Fire Service's list of low flammability plants, indicating that it is suitable for growing within a building protection zone.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Tropicos Hymenocallis littoralis
  2. ↑ "PLANTS Profile for Hymenocallis littoralis (beach spiderlily)", United States Department of Agriculture, 2009 USDA-HL8.
  3. ↑ "The Amaryllis Family: Genus Hymenocallis", James E. Shields, October 2006, SGardens-Hymenocallis2
  4. ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Hymenocallis littoralis'
  5. ↑ Garden Bulbs for the South, Scott Ogden, 2007, page 226, ISBN 0-88192-813-5
  6. ↑ Chladil and Sheridan, Mark and Jennifer. "Fire retardant garden plants for the urban fringe and rural areas". www.fire.tas.gov.au. Tasmanian Fire Research Fund.

External links