The Amaryllis family or
Amaryllidaceae are a family of
herbaceousA herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
,
perennialA perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. When used by gardeners or horticulturalists, this term applies specifically to perennial herbaceous plants...
s and
bulbA bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves that are used as food storage organs by a dormant plant....
ous flowering plants included in the monocot
orderIn scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
AsparagalesAsparagales is an order of flowering plants. The order has always included the family Asparagaceae, but other families included in the order have varied markedly between different classifications...
, taking its name from the
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
AmaryllisAmaryllis is a monotypic genus of plant also known as the Belladonna Lily or naked ladies. The single species, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape...
. The family consists of about sixty
generaIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
, with over eight hundred
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
with a worldwide distribution.
All members of this family, which may be described as 'amaryllids', can be recognised by their rather fleshy and two-ranked leaves and their large and showy flowers, with an inferior ovary and six
stamenThe stamen is the male organ of a flower. Each stamen generally has a stalk called the filament , and, on top of the filament, an anther , and pollen sacs,...
s, arranged in
umbelAn umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
s at the apex of leafless flowering stems, or scapes. The somewhat similar-looking members of the onion family (
AlliaceaeAlliaceae is a family of herbaceous perennial flowering plants. They are monocots, part of order Asparagales. The family has been widely but not universally recognised; in the past, the plants involved were often treated as belonging to the family Liliaceae, and still are by some botanists.The APG...
) differ in having a superior ovary and the presence of allyl sulfide compounds which give them their characteristic smell. From another close relative, the agapanthus family (
AgapanthaceaeAgapanthaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The sole included genus, and the one from which the family takes its name, is Agapanthus...
), differs also in the position of the ovary and in lacking
steroidA steroid is a terpenoid lipid characterized by its sterane core and additional functional groups. The core is a carbon structure of four fused rings: three cyclohexane rings and one cyclopentane ring. The steroids vary by the functional groups attached to these rings and the oxidation state of the...
al
saponinSaponins are a class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant species...
s.
Description
Members of Amaryllidaceae are perennial, mostly
deciduousDeciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, rarely shrubby or treelike plants, often with
bulbA bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves that are used as food storage organs by a dormant plant....
s or, rarely, with
rhizomeIn botany, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s, as in the genera
CliviaClivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae. Common names include Kaffir lily and bush lily.They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with dark green, strap-like leaves...
, Cryptostephanus and
ScadoxusScadoxus is a genus of 9 species native to tropical Africa. The genus has close affinities with Haemanthus from which it has only recently been separated.Species in the genus are...
. While growing, the bulb is kept deep below ground by a special type of
rootIn vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
that lengthen and contract.
LeavesLeaves are an Icelandic five-piece alternative rock band who formed in 2001. Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times. They came to prominence in 2002 with their debut album, Breathe, drawing comparisons to groups such as The Verve and Doves...
are arranged in a basal rosette or fan. They are often narrow, with an entire or spiny margin, and without marked olours, in particular they are not onion-scented. Some genera, like
EucrosiaEucrosia is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family distributed from Ecuador to Peru. It contains eight species...
and
ScadoxusScadoxus is a genus of 9 species native to tropical Africa. The genus has close affinities with Haemanthus from which it has only recently been separated.Species in the genus are...
, which occupy habitats with low light-intensity, have leaves that are broad and flattened, whereas in semi-arid regions like southern
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
, species of
BrunsvigiaBrunsvigia is a flowering plant genus in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains about 20 species native to South Africa.Brunsvigia are tender bulbs, winter-growing and summer-dormant, generally flowering in early autumn. Their flowers are brilliant scarlet, pink, or red...
, Crossyne, Gethyllis and
HaemanthusHaemanthus is a Southern African genus of Amaryllidaceae with some 22 known species, endemic to South Africa, Namibia and the kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland...
have leaves covered with variously shaped hairs. The leaves in
Crossyne and some
HaemanthusHaemanthus is a Southern African genus of Amaryllidaceae with some 22 known species, endemic to South Africa, Namibia and the kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland...
species are also attractively spotted with dark green or red.
The flowers are large and showy, bisexual, trimerous, actinomorphic (less often slightly zygomorphic, as in
SprekeliaSprekelia is a genus of at least three bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, or Alliaceae. They are native to Central America. Like Hippeastrum, these plants were known as Amaryllis. Sprekelia plants are sometimes called "Aztec lilies", although they are not true lilies.-Growth:S...
). Shape of the flowers varies from star-like to trumpet-shaped or tubular and Colours range from red, orange, yellow and pink to white, whereas bluish flowers are only found in
Griffinia- Description :Griffinia is a genus of monocotyledonous plants in the Amaryllidaceae family and the Griffineae tribe. It includes 21 species which are endemic to South America, Brazil. The most closely related genus to It is the monotypic Worsleya. The members of the genus Griffinia are tropical,...
, WorsleyaThe genus Worsleya contains only one species - Worsleya procera previously Worsleya rayneri. It's one of the largest and rarest members in the Amaryllidaceae family. Worsleya is a tropical plant...
and
LycorisLycoris is a Greek word meaning "twilight". Other uses include:*Lycoris is a genus of family Amaryllidaceae.*Lycoris , a character of .hack the multimedia franchise.*Lycoris , a software company, acquired by Mandriva in 2005....
. The perianth present 6 segments arranged in two whorls, free or fused to form a short tube. The flowers of
NarcissusNarcissus may refer to:People* Narcissus , a mythological hero* Narcissus , assassin of the Roman emperor Commodus* Tiberius Claudius Narcissus , freedman and secretary to the Roman emperor Claudius...
(the popular daffodil) characteristically have a large, cup-shaped corona, which is an outgrowth of the
tepalTepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is usually used when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated...
s. The androecium is composed by six stamens, inserted at the perianth throat or at the base of each
tepalTepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is usually used when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated...
. Some
Griffinia species have five stamens and some
Gethyllis species have multiple stamens with about 60 anthers. In
PancratiumPancratium may be:* the Latinate spelling of pankration , a sport or martial art introduced in the Olympic games in 648 BC, and its modern version* Pancratium , a genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae...
and
HymenocallisHymenocallis is a genus of plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains 63 species native to tropical and subtropical America. Hymenocallis are bulbous perennial herbs. The flowers have their stamens united to a characteristic corona...
the stamens are fused to form a large cup, known as "staminal cup" which resembles the corona in
Narcissus. The ovary is inferior (located below the tepals), with three locules and few to many ovules per locule. All the members of the family produce nectar and are often heavily scented. The
inflorescenceAn inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
can be of one or many flowers in a terminal
spikeSpike may refer to:-Device to puncture or fasten:* Nail , especially one over four inches long* Rail spike, used to construct railroad tracks* Tree spiking, making a tree dangerous to cut with a chainsaw...
,
racemeA raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
,
panicleA panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches ....
or, more often, in an
umbelAn umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
-like inflorescence, subtended by an involucre of one to many bracts and with ephemeral hyaline bracts between the flowers. The inflorescence appear at the end of a leafless stem, called a
scapeIn biology, the term scape may refer to:* The first segment of an insect antenna* A finger-like appendage of the epigyne of a female spider* Scape , a flowering stemScape may also refer to:...
. In unusual genera like
Gethyllis, however, the scape carries only one flower and remains subterranean.
The
fruitThe term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds, and the presence of seeds indicates that a structure is most likely a fruit, though not all seeds come from...
is a dry
capsuleIn botany a capsule is a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. A capsule is a dehiscent structure composed of two or more carpels, that, at maturity, split apart to release the seeds within...
, or more rarely, a fleshy
berryThe botanical definition of a berry is a simple fruit produced from a single ovary, such as a grape or a tomato. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. The flowers of these plants have a superior ovary formed by the fusion of...
and contain dry, dark and often flattened, or fleshy, round, and greenish
seedA seed , referred to as a kernel in some plants, is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s. The seeds have an oily
endospermEndosperm is the tissue produced in the seeds of most flowering plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch, though it can also contain oils and protein. This makes endosperm an important source of nutrition in human diet...
and usually with a black or brown phytomelanous testa, sometimes with a caruncular
elaiosomeElaiosomes are fleshy structures that are attached to the seeds of many plant species. The elaiosome is rich in lipids and proteins, and may be variously shaped. Many plants have elaiosomes to attract ants, which take the seed to their nest and feed the elaiosome to their larvae...
at the chalazal end.
The most common basic
chromosomeA chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein that is found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions...
number in the family is
x = 11, although during its evolution a vast arrange of different basic chromosome numbers arose, from
x= 6 to
x= 23.
Members of this family present a unique type of alkaloids, the norbelladine alkaloids, which are
tyrosineTyrosine or 4-hydroxyphenylalanine, is one of the 20 amino acids that are used by cells to synthesize proteins. It is a non-essential amino acid with a polar side group...
derivatives (combined with 4-methylcatechol). They are responsible for the poisonous properties of a number of the species. Over 200 different chemical structures of these compounds are known, of which 79 or more are known from
Narcissus alone.
Distribution and habitat
Holarctic, Paleotropical, Neotropical, Cape, and Australian. World distribution: widespread
In the Neotropics, the family occurs from
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
through
Central AmericaManagua
Guatemala City
San Salvador
San Pedro Sula
Panama City
San José, Costa Rica
Santa Ana, El Salvador
León
San Miguel|-|}...
and the West Indies to
ChileChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
in
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
. Notable areas of diversity throughout this range include eastern
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
, north-central Chile (outside of the tropical zone, however), and the central
AndesThe Andes are the world's longest exposed mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America...
of
EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
and Peru.
HippeastrumHippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers...
is primarily found in the Andes and eastern Brazil,
HymenocallisHymenocallis is a genus of plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains 63 species native to tropical and subtropical America. Hymenocallis are bulbous perennial herbs. The flowers have their stamens united to a characteristic corona...
occurs mostly in Mesoamerica,
Clinanthus is largely endemic to Peru, and
ZephyranthesZephyranthes is a genus of about 70 species in the Amaryllis family. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily and rain lily....
is broadly distributed. The greatest generic diversity is found in Peru.
Taxonomy
First described by the French naturalist
Jean Henri Jaume Saint-HilaireJean Henri Jaume Saint-Hilaire was a French naturalist and artist, born in Grasse, France.-Biography:Born as Jaume, he added Saint-Hilaire later. Some biographers indicate that this addition was to distinguish himself from a family member, Henri-Honore Jaume, a Jacobin who had been involved in...
in 1805, the family was named after Amaryllis, a beautiful shepherdess mentioned by
TheocritusTheocritus , the creator of ancient Greek bucolic poetry, flourished in the 3rd century BC.-Life:Little is known of him beyond what can be inferred from his writings. We must, however, handle these with some caution, since some of the poems commonly attributed to him have little claim to...
,
VirgilPublius Vergilius Maro was a classical Roman poet, best known for three major works—the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the Aeneid—although several minor poems are also attributed to him.The son of a farmer, Virgil came to be...
and
OvidPublius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who wrote about love, seduction, and mythological transformation....
, and hence an allegory of beauty. Close relatives to the Amaryllis family are the onion family (
AlliaceaeAlliaceae is a family of herbaceous perennial flowering plants. They are monocots, part of order Asparagales. The family has been widely but not universally recognised; in the past, the plants involved were often treated as belonging to the family Liliaceae, and still are by some botanists.The APG...
) and the agapanthus family (
AgapanthaceaeAgapanthaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The sole included genus, and the one from which the family takes its name, is Agapanthus...
).
Amaryllidaceae has been recognized, with varying definitions, by most classification systems of the 20th Century, although the
Cronquist systemA system of plant taxonomy, the Cronquist system is a scheme for the classification of flowering plants . This system was developed by Arthur Cronquist in his texts An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants and The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants .Cronquist's...
included it within a very broadly defined
LiliaceaeThe Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
. The two families have traditionally been separated by including species with inferior ovaries in Amaryllidaceae and those with superior ovaries in Liliaceae. The
APG II systemA modern system of plant taxonomy, the APG II system of plant classification was published in 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, APG, in*Angiosperm Phylogeny Group . An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II. Botanical...
(2003) advocates recognizing all Agapanthaceae, Alliaceae, and Amaryllidaceae as three subtaxa of a single
family in the order
AsparagalesAsparagales is an order of flowering plants. The order has always included the family Asparagaceae, but other families included in the order have varied markedly between different classifications...
, citing Alliaceae Batsch (1786) as the name of earliest priority. They do, however, leave open the option for recognizing three families. The
APG systemA modern system of plant taxonomy, the APG system of plant classification was published in 1998 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. The system is unusual in being based, not on total evidence, but on the cladistic analysis of the DNA sequences of three genes, two chloroplast genes and one gene...
, of 1998, accepted Amaryllidaceae as a separate family. Despite these proposals to combine the three families in Alliaceae
sensu lato, their differences regarding chemical compounds and morphology are nevertheless sufficiently important to keep them apart.
In fact, Amaryllidaceae are one of the few families of the higher Asparagales well defined by other than molecular characters,
namely the combination of umbellate cymes, inferior ovaries, and unique alkaloid chemistry.
Evolution
Amaryllidaceae and its sister group, Agapanthaceae, originated in western Gondwanaland. Africa has also been the site of considerable innovation in the family's history as well, as typified by the Afrocentric tribes Amaryllideae, Haemantheae, and Cyrtantheae. Most of the diversity within those three tribes is, however, centered in South Africa, and thus may reflect radiation engendered by the more recent paleoclimatic and geological history of Africa encompassing
NeogeneThe Neogene is a geologic period and system starting 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and lasting either until today or ending 2.588 million years ago with the beginning of the Quaternary. The Neogene Period follows the Paleogene Period of the Cenozoic Era...
and later times. The increased aridity of the African climate and the uplift of the continental mass beginning near the end of the
OligoceneThe Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present. As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period are well identified but the exact dates of the start and end of the period are slightly...
, further abetted by
QuaternaryThe Quaternary period is the youngest of three periods of the Cenozoic era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows after the Neogene period, spanning 2.588 +/- 0.005 million years ago to the present...
climatic fluctuations, were catastrophic to many elements of the African flora, but it may have been a selective pressure for diversity among groups of geophytes capable of adapting to increasing drought. The geophyte richness of South Africa is well documented, and the Cape region has been suggested as a possible refuge for certain African plant and animal groups as the tropical flora of the continent was impoverished. On the other hand, the three genera of the baccate-fruited Haemantheae,
CliviaClivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae. Common names include Kaffir lily and bush lily.They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with dark green, strap-like leaves...
, Cryptostephanus, and
ScadoxusScadoxus is a genus of 9 species native to tropical Africa. The genus has close affinities with Haemanthus from which it has only recently been separated.Species in the genus are...
, are all forest understory adapted taxa, do not form bulbs, and are at least in part (
Scadoxus,
Cryptostephanus) elements of tropical vegetation farther north.
The Calostemmateae, the only exclusively Australasian element of the family, may have been isolated from the African lineages as Australia separated from western Gondwanaland. Direct migration between Africa and Australia may have persisted up through the close of the early
CretaceousThe Cretaceous , Latin language for "chalky", usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago . In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows on the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
, although India and Madagascar may have provided a less direct corridor up until the late Cretaceous.
CrinumCrinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
is the only amaryllid that is known to occur on Madagascar, whereas indigenous Indian amaryllids are restricted to
Crinum and two to three species of
PancratiumPancratium may be:* the Latinate spelling of pankration , a sport or martial art introduced in the Olympic games in 648 BC, and its modern version* Pancratium , a genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae...
. The adaptations of
Crinum for long-distance dispersal have been demonstrated and
Pancratium may have been able to directly enter India from either Africa or Eurasia during the late
CretaceousThe Cretaceous , Latin language for "chalky", usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago . In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows on the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
or early
EoceneThe Eocene epoch, lasting from 55.8 ± 0.2 to 33.9 ± 0.1 Ma , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in the Cenozoic era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Paleocene epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene epoch. The start of the...
.
To summarize, molecular data indicate an African origin for the family, with later dispersal to Australasia and ultimately Eurasia and the New World, the latter two geographic groups sharing an ostensibly African ancestor. The family evolved in Africa and subsequently spread to other continents, further suggesting that South America is the center of secondary diversification. The sister relationship of the Eurasian/Mediterranean clade to the American genera raises the interesting question of when and where the Amaryllidaceae, in the main, entered the New World. Given the extant distribution of Amaryllidaceae in North America and the generic richness south of the equator, a northern latitude entry into the New World for the family would necessitate massive extinction in North America sometime after migration to South America took place. Glaciation would be the likely factor involved. Little migration of plants from North America to South America probably took place before the Eocene. All indications are that the movement of extant Amaryllidaceae has been northward from South America. This does not necessarily preclude an earlier, initial arrival in North America, migration to South America, and a more recent, but secondary, return of some elements of the family to North America long after glaciation extirpated the founder populations.
Phylogeny
The Amaryllidaceae has so far defied precise understanding of its intrafamilial phylogeny, and, its relationships to other families of higher Asparagales. Combined analysis of three
plastidPlastids are major organelles found in the cells of plants and algae. Plastids are the site of manufacture and storage of important chemical compounds used by the cell...
DNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information...
sequences (
rfacL,
tmL intronAn intron is a DNA region within a gene that is not translated into protein. These non-coding sections are transcribed to precursor mRNA and some other RNAs , and subsequently removed by a process called splicing during the processing to mature RNA. After intron splicing An intron is a DNA region...
, and
tmL-F spacer) for 50 genera of Amaryllidaceae analyzed together with members of Alliaceae, Behniaceae, Convallariaceae,
HyacinthaceaeHyacinthaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The plants are herbaceous perennials that grow from bulbs, and include several popular spring-blooming garden plants, including Hyacinth , grape hyacinth , bluebell and squill .As circumscribed by Pfosser & Speta the family...
,
ThemidaceaeThemidaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. Such a family is recognised by only few taxonomists.The APG II system does not recognize this family as such, but allows it to be segregated from the family Asparagaceae, as an optional segregate. This represents a change from the...
, and
HemerocallidaceaeHemerocallidaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The family name is derived from the name of the included genus Hemerocallis. The placement of the included genera, and the circumscription of the family, have varied. The Cronquist system does not recognize the family and...
, resolves
AgapanthaceaeAgapanthaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The sole included genus, and the one from which the family takes its name, is Agapanthus...
as sister to Amaryllidaceae with weak support and places
Agapanthus-Amaryllidaceae as a sister clade to a monophyletic Alliaceae.
The African tribe
AmaryllideaeAmaryllideae is a tribe of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . Members of this tribe are distributed in Africa, with the exception of the pantropical genus Crinum...
is sister to the remainder of the Amaryllidaceae.
AmaryllisAmaryllis is a monotypic genus of plant also known as the Belladonna Lily or naked ladies. The single species, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape...
and
BoophoneBoophone is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis familiy . It consists of two species distributed in Tropical and Southern Africa...
forms the most basal branches of the phylogeny inside this tribe. Two major lineages are subsequently resolved in all the analyses. The most diverse of them is the southern African lineage that encompasses
StrumariaStrumaria is a genus of plant in family Amaryllidaceae. It contains the following species :* Strumaria barbarae, Oberm.* Strumaria hardyana, D.& U. Müll.-Doblies* Strumaria phonolithica, Dinter...
and its allies. The other is the predominantly sub-Saharan African group that includes
CrinumCrinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
and related genera. The African baccate-fruited Haemantheae and the Australasian Calostemmateae are sister tribes, and the African endemic Cyrtantheae is sister to them both. The most completely resolved and best supported tree for Haemantheae, divides the tribe into two main clades. The smaller clade,
uniting
CliviaClivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae. Common names include Kaffir lily and bush lily.They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with dark green, strap-like leaves...
and
Cryptostephanus, represents entirely rhizomatous genera that never form bulbs.
Cryptostephanus is also the only genus of the tribe that retains the plesiomorphic character of a phytomelanous testa. The second clade contains all of the genera that form true bulbs, though
Scadoxus is
polymorphic for this
character. This second clade contains two subclades that can be characterized morphologically as
well. The sister relationship of
Haemanthus and
Scadoxus is well supported by the morphological synapomorphy of the brush-like inflorescence, facilitated by the reduction in perianth size and the dominance of the spathe bracts during anthesis. The gethyllid subclade is characterized by a suite of morphological characters, such as uniflory, obsolete scape, and the long, aromatic, cylindrical, many-seeded fruit of both recognized genera, in contrast to the one or few seeded berry of the other genera in the tribe.
The Eurasian and neotropical genera of the Amaryllidaceae are a well-supported clade, and are sister groups. Lycorideae are basal in the Eurasian clade and begin a grade that continues with
Hannonia, then
PancratiumPancratium may be:* the Latinate spelling of pankration , a sport or martial art introduced in the Olympic games in 648 BC, and its modern version* Pancratium , a genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae...
, then
Lapiedra. The genera
Galanthus,
NarcissusNarcissus may refer to:People* Narcissus , a mythological hero* Narcissus , assassin of the Roman emperor Commodus* Tiberius Claudius Narcissus , freedman and secretary to the Roman emperor Claudius...
, and
SternbergiaSternbergia is a genus in Amaryllidaceae of around 8 species that show a broad distribution throughout Mediterranean Europe and Asia, and was first described by Clusius in 1601 as Narcissus, before being redescribed by Carl Linnaeus as Amaryllis in 1753...
are resolved as monophyletic with strong support.
Leucojum sensu lato is paraphyletic and recognition of
AcisThe 3D ACIS Modeler is a 3D modelling kernel owned by Spatial Corporation . ACIS is used by many software developers industries such as computer-aided design, , Computer-aided manufacturing , Computer-aided engineering , Architecture, engineering and construction , Coordinate-measuring machine ,...
for the mostly autumn-flowering Mediterranean species is supported by molecular data.
The American genera of the family form two major clades. The first, or ‘‘hippeastroid’’ clade, are diploid (
x = 11), primarily the extra-Andean element of the family (though several of the genera do have Andean representatives), comprising the genera treated as the tribe Hippeastreae. The second clade constitutes the tribes centered in the Andes whose basic chromosome number is derived by
polyploidyPolyploidy occurs in cells and organisms when there are more than two paired sets of chromosomes.Most organisms are normally diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes — one set inherited from each parent. Polyploidy may occur due to abnormal cell division. It is most commonly found in...
(x = 23). Several genera within the hippeastroid clade resolve as polyphyletic (such as
Rhodophiala and
Zephyranthes) and the possibility of reticulate evolution (i.e., early hybridization) in these lineages was hypothesized. A petiolate-leafed Andean subclade, containing elements of both Eucharideae and Stenomesseae, was resolved. Within the Andean subclade, Eustephieae resolves as sister to all other tribes; a distinct petiolate-leafed group is resolved, combining the tribe Eucharideae and the petiolate Stenomesseae; and a distinct Hymenocallideae is supported. It was inferred from the molecular data that a great deal of the diversity of the family in the Americas is recent, and that the American Amaryllidaceae may have been reduced to peripheral isolates some time after its initial entry and spread through the Americas. In both of the major American
clades, there is a small tribe that is sister to the rest of the clade, Eustephieae in the Andean group, and
GriffineaeThe tribe Griffineae includes 2 genera with 22 species from South America which are actually endemic to Brazil. A typical character of the representatives of the tribe are the flowers - They are with blue or lilac color collected into an umbel. Only the members of this tribe and the genus Lycoris...
in
the hippeastroid clade. These two small tribes may represent either ancestral or merely very isolated elements of their
respective clades.
A cladogram which summarizes the phylogenetic relationships among tribes and subtribes of Amaryllidaceae is given below.
Tribes, subtribes and genera
The four modern infrafamilial classifications of Amaryllidaceae are those of Traub (1963), Dahlgren, Clifford, and Yeo (1985), Müller-Doblies and Müller-Doblies (1996), and Meerow and Snijman (1998). Traub's clasiification included Alliaceae,
HemerocallidaceaeHemerocallidaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The family name is derived from the name of the included genus Hemerocallis. The placement of the included genera, and the circumscription of the family, have varied. The Cronquist system does not recognize the family and...
, and
IxioliriaceaeIxiolirion is a genus of plants from Southwest Asia.Under the APG II system it is placed in the monogeneric family Ixioliriaceae in the order Asparagales. Otherwise, it is usually placed in the family Amaryllidaceae.-External links:...
as subfamilies, following partially the scheme proposed by Hutchinson (1934). Within his subfamily Amarylloideae, he erected two informal categories: "infrafamilies" Amarylloidinae and Pancratioidinae, both of which were polyphyletic. Dahlgren, Clifford, and Yeo (1985) recognized eight tribes, and treated as Amaryllidaceae only those genera in Traub's Amarylloideae. Müller-Doblies and Müller-Doblies (1996) recognized ten tribes and 19 subtribes, many of them with a single genus. Meerow and Snijman (1998) recognized 14 tribes, with two subtribes only in one of them, resurrected Eustephieae from Stenomesseae and recognized two new tribes, Calostemmateae and Hymenocallideae. Later on, they recognized four subtribes in Amaryllidae, and three subtribes for Haemantheae, changing the taxonomic rank of Gethyllidinae.
Basally African and Australasian clades:
- Amaryllideae
Amaryllideae is a tribe of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . Members of this tribe are distributed in Africa, with the exception of the pantropical genus Crinum...
J.St.-Hil. (13 genera, x= 10, 11). Members of this tribe are endemic to Africa, with the exception of the pantropical genus CrinumCrinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
. The Amaryllideae is sister to the rest of the Amaryllidaceae and is marked by a large number of diagnostic characters, such as extensible fibers in the bulb tunics, the type of pollen grains, the scapes with a sclerenchymatous sheath, and nondormant, water-rich seeds with chlorophyllous embryos and without phytomelanin. A few of the genera extend outside of South Africa, but only Crinum, has the seeds well adapted to oceanic dispersal ranges through AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
, AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, and America.
- Subtribe Amaryllidinae. The single member of this subtribe (Amarylis, two species) has leaves with a prominent midrib, zygomorphic flowers with free tepals, dehiscent fruits, and large, pink or colorless seeds. It is endemic to the winter rainfall region of southern Africa.
- Subtribe Boophoninae. Leaves spreading into an erect fan. Inflorescence of numerous helicoid cymes; pedicels elongating and radiating after anthesis; flowers actinomorphic, with a perigone tube; stamens free; fruit indehiscent, trigonal, 3-ribbed; fruiting head detaching from top of scape during seed dispersal; seeds endosperm-rich, partially chlorophyllous, cork-covered. Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. It consists in a single genus (Boophone
Boophone is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis familiy . It consists of two species distributed in Tropical and Southern Africa...
) with two species.
- Subtribe Crininae. Leaves often with an intercalary meristem, usually fringed with cartilaginous teeth, apex often truncate. Flowers actinomorphic to zygomorphic, with a perigone tube; stamens free; fruit indehiscent, irregular, often rostellate; scape not abscising during seed dispersal except in Cybistetes where it detaches at ground level; seeds lacking an integument, endosperm-rich, partially chlorophyllous, cork-covered. Widespread in the tropics and sub-Saharan Africa. It consists in three genera: Crinum
Crinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
(65 species), AmmocharisAmmocharis is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family which includes 6 species distributed in Africa. The plant grows as a succulent, above-ground bulb, preferring seasonally wet, hot, sandy soils and full sun.-Species:...
(5 species) and Cybistetes (1 species).
- Subtribe Strumariinae. Leaves often prostrate. Flowers zygomorphic or actinomorphic, with or without a perigone tube; stamens connate into a tube proximally (except in Strumaria where one whorl of stamens is fused to the style); fruit dehiscent; seeds with a well-developed chlorophyllous integument and stomatose testa. The subtribe is distributed in Southern Africa and consists in five genera Crossyne (2 species), Strumaria
Strumaria is a genus of plant in family Amaryllidaceae. It contains the following species :* Strumaria barbarae, Oberm.* Strumaria hardyana, D.& U. Müll.-Doblies* Strumaria phonolithica, Dinter...
(24 species), NerineNerine is a genus of plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. Native to South Africa, there are about 30 different species in the genus. Nerine have been widely cultivated and much hybridized and are now spread world wide....
(23 species), Hessea (13 species), Namaquanula (2 species), and BrunsvigiaBrunsvigia is a flowering plant genus in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains about 20 species native to South Africa.Brunsvigia are tender bulbs, winter-growing and summer-dormant, generally flowering in early autumn. Their flowers are brilliant scarlet, pink, or red...
(23 species). Still, there exist controversy about the delimitation of genera in this subtribe.
- Cyrtantheae Salisb.
Richard Anthony Salisbury FRS was a British botanist. He was born in Leeds, England, the son of Richard Markham. He changed his last name to Salisbury following a supposed financial arrangement for support in his studies. This arrangement was claimed to have been made with a Mrs...
(1 genus, x=8). Consisting of a single African endemic genus, CyrtanthusCyrtanthus is a genus of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . This highly ornamental genus encompasses about 60 species. It is endemic in the southern and eastern parts of Africa and is represented in all nine provinces of South Africa, with the highest concentration...
(56 species), this tribe is the only African taxon with the flat, winged phytomelanous seed characteristic of many American genera. Also, it is the most diverse in floral morphology of any genus in the family.
- Haemantheae (Pax
Ferdinand Albin Pax was a German botanist and entomologist specialising in Lepidoptera and Diptera.He was a professor of botany and zoology at the Technical University of Wroclaw.- Taxa :...
) HutchinsonJohn Hutchinson was a renowned English botanist, taxonomist and author.-Life and career:Born in Blindburn, Wark on Tyne, Northumberland, England, he received his horticultural training in Northumberland and Durham and was appointed a student gardener at Kew in 1904...
(6 genera, X= 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12). This tribe is characterized by its type of fruit, a berry, which differentiate all its members from the rest of the family. It includes three subtribes.
- Cliviinae, are bulbless, rhizomatous perennials and include two genera, Cryptostephanus (2 species) and Clivia
Clivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae. Common names include Kaffir lily and bush lily.They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with dark green, strap-like leaves...
(5 species).
- Haemanthineae, contains all of the genera of the tribe that form true bulbs, though Scadoxus is polymorphic for this character and has been misdiagnosed as being entirely rhizomatous. It is yet unclear whether bulbs form in Scadoxus only under certain environmental conditions or if bulb formation is limited to just certain species. Scadoxus
Scadoxus is a genus of 9 species native to tropical Africa. The genus has close affinities with Haemanthus from which it has only recently been separated.Species in the genus are...
(9 species) and HaemanthusHaemanthus is a Southern African genus of Amaryllidaceae with some 22 known species, endemic to South Africa, Namibia and the kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland...
(22 species) belong to this subtribe. Both genera have brush-like inflorescences, in which the bracts often form part of the pollinator attraction system.
- Gethyllidinae. This subtribe consists of two closely related South African endemic genera, Apodolirion
Apodolirion is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . It consists of 6 species distributed in South Africa...
(6 species) and Gethyllis (30 species). Both genera maintain their scapes inside the bulb and have long, fragrant baccate fruits that have many seeds.
- Calostemmateae (two genera, x=10) The tribe consists of two Australasian genera. Proiphys
Proiphys is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. It consists of 4 species that are native to Southeast Asia and Australia.-Description:...
(4 species) are forest understory herbs of Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and tropical Australia, and CalostemmaCalostemma is a small genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . It consists in 3 species endemic to Australia, where they are distributed in arid regions with summer precipitations...
(3 species), endemic to Australia. The indehiscent capsules of both genera are similar in appearance to the unripe berry-fruits of Scadoxus and Haemanthus (Haemantheae), but early in the development of the seed, the embryo germinates precociously, and a bulbil forms within the capsule and functions as the mature propagule.
The Eurasian clades:
- Lycorideae Traub, (two genera, x = 11) is a small tribe which represents the more or less temperate Asian component of the family, with Lycoris
Lycoris is a genus of 13–20 species of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, formerly often treated in the family Liliaceae. They are native to eastern and southern Asia in Japan, southern Korea, eastern and southern China, northern Vietnam, northern Laos, northern Thailand, northern...
(22 species) ranging from KoreaKorea is a civilization and formerly unified nation currently divided into two states. Located on the Korean Peninsula, it borders China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait....
, through ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, MyanmarBurma, officially the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia or Indochina. The country is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest and the Bay of Bengal to the...
, and Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and Ungernia (10 species) restricted to the mountains of central Asia.
- Narcisseae Lam.
Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de la Marck , often just known as 'Lamarck', was a French soldier, naturalist, academic and an early proponent of the idea that evolution occurred and proceeded in accordance with natural laws.Lamarck fought in the Pomeranian War with Prussia, and...
& DC., (two genera, x = 7, 10, 11). Together with the closely related Galantheae, this tribe represents the southwest LaurasiaLaurasia was a supercontinent that most recently existed as a part of the split of the Pangaea supercontinent in the late Mesozoic era. It included most of the landmasses which make up today's continents of the northern hemisphere, chiefly Laurentia , Baltica, Siberia, Kazakhstania, and the North...
n element of the family. At least some species exhibit 22 chromosomes in their cells, but much more chromosome evolution has occurred in the largest genus NarcissusNarcissus may refer to:People* Narcissus , a mythological hero* Narcissus , assassin of the Roman emperor Commodus* Tiberius Claudius Narcissus , freedman and secretary to the Roman emperor Claudius...
(56 species) which is widely distributed from MacaronesiaMacaronesia is a modern collective name for several groups of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean near Europe and North Africa belonging to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde...
to AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
, and South Eastern China to Japan. SternbergiaSternbergia is a genus in Amaryllidaceae of around 8 species that show a broad distribution throughout Mediterranean Europe and Asia, and was first described by Clusius in 1601 as Narcissus, before being redescribed by Carl Linnaeus as Amaryllis in 1753...
(8 species), the other member of the tribe, is distributed from Central and Southern Europe to Central Asia. Characteristically, the scape is solid and the spathe bracts are fused into a tube. Seeds are black, round and angular. A "paraperigone" is also characteristic of the tribe but absent from Sternbergia. No relationships with any other tribe outside of Galantheae have been proposed.
- Galantheae (Herb.
-Earls:*William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke *William Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke *William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke *William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke...
) Parl.Filippo Parlatore was an Italian botanist.Italian botanist, b. at Palermo, 8 Aug., 1816; d. at Florence, 9 Sept., 1877, a devout and faithful Catholic. He studied medicine at Palermo, but practiced only for a short time, his chief activity being during the cholera epidemic of 1837...
, (5 genera, x= 7, 8, 9, 11, 12). Of similar distribution to that of Narcisseae, the Galantheae are distinguished from the former by the type of anther dehiscence and leaf anatomy. AcisAcis is a genus of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . The genus consists in 9 species distributed in Europe and Northern Africa.
The genus was reinstated in 2004, after it was determined on morphological and molecular grounds that these species should be...
(9 species) is distributed in Western and Central Mediterranean region. Galanthus (20 species) and Leucojum (3 species) occur from Europe to Northern IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
. The other two members of the tribe are monotypic, Hannonia from Morocco and Lapiedra from Western Mediterranean. The delimitation of these two last genera are not definitive. Indeed, some botanists treated this tribe as a subtribe of Narcisseae.
- Pancratieae Dumort.
Barthélemy Charles Joseph, Baron Dumortier was a Belgian politician and botanist. Some consider him to be the true discoverer of cell division, although he is rarely credited as such-Works:...
, (2 genera, x= 11). This Old World tribe has uncertain limits and a controversial phylogenetic position. PancratiumPancratium may be:* the Latinate spelling of pankration , a sport or martial art introduced in the Olympic games in 648 BC, and its modern version* Pancratium , a genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae...
(21 species) is the largest genus and the most widespread, from South Africa to the Mediterranean and into Asia, and the only genus with stamens fused into a staminal cup. The flowers bear a remarkable resemblance to those of Hymenocallis. Vagaria (2 species), the other member of ths tribe, has a more restricted distribution: the coastal regions of Mediterranean countries, from MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
to LebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon
[Republic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...]
and IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
.
The American clades:
- Griffineae
The tribe Griffineae includes 2 genera with 22 species from South America which are actually endemic to Brazil. A typical character of the representatives of the tribe are the flowers - They are with blue or lilac color collected into an umbel. Only the members of this tribe and the genus Lycoris...
. It is a tribe composed by two genera endemic to Brazil, Griffinia- Description :Griffinia is a genus of monocotyledonous plants in the Amaryllidaceae family and the Griffineae tribe. It includes 21 species which are endemic to South America, Brazil. The most closely related genus to It is the monotypic Worsleya. The members of the genus Griffinia are tropical,...
(21 species) and the monotypic WorsleyaThe genus Worsleya contains only one species - Worsleya procera previously Worsleya rayneri. It's one of the largest and rarest members in the Amaryllidaceae family. Worsleya is a tropical plant...
, which are characterized by their zygomorphic, pedicellate to nearly sessile flowers in shades of blue.
- Hippeastreae. Species in this tribe are distributed in South America. Flowers are large and showy, zygomorphic, with the stamens in varying lengths, inflorescence bracts are often fused basally (along one side). The seeds are flattened, winged or D-shaped. Reported basic chromosome numbers are x= 8-13, 17, and higher. All the species in this tribe presents a remarkable aesthetic interest and horticultural value. It includes two subtribes:
- subtribe: Hippeastrineae, includes species of medium height and often with many flowers in each inflorescence and inflorescence bracts are different in size and fused basally. Genera in this subtribe are Placea
Placea is a genus of about 6 species of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. They are endemic to Chile.-List of species:...
(6 species), HippeastrumHippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers...
(91 species), Griffiniopsis (incl.: Eithea), RhodophialaRhodophiala is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . It consists in 28 South American species distributed in southern Brazil, Argentina, and, specially, in Chile.-Description:...
(28 species), Phycella (5 species) and Traubia (1 species).
- subtribeZephyranthinea, includes species of small height with solitary flowers. Inflorescence bracts are fused forming a tube surrounding the pedicel of the flower. Genera in this subtribe are Sprekelia
Sprekelia is a genus of at least three bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, or Alliaceae. They are native to Central America. Like Hippeastrum, these plants were known as Amaryllis. Sprekelia plants are sometimes called "Aztec lilies", although they are not true lilies.-Growth:S...
(2 species), HabranthusHabranthus is a genus of tender herbaceous flowering bulbs in the Amaryllidaceae. The genus was first identified by pioneering bulb enthusiast William Herbert in 1824....
(74 apecies), and ZephyranthesZephyranthes is a genus of about 70 species in the Amaryllis family. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily and rain lily....
(94 species).
- Eucharideae (4 genera, x = 23). Members of this neotropical tribe are recognized by their phytomelanous seeds, petiolate leaves, and white flowers. They are found in the understory of primary tropical rain forest. Genera in this tribe are Eucharis
Eucharis is a genus of about 15-20 species of monocotyledonous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Central America and South America from Guatemala south to Bolivia.-Description:...
(17 species), CaliphruriaCaliphruria is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis familiy . It consists of four species distributed in tropical regions of South America, three of them are endemic to Colombia. This genus is closely related with the genera Eucharis and Urceolina, all of them known...
(4 species), Urceolina (43 species), and the monotypic Plagiolirion.
- Stenomesseae (5 genera, x= 23). This Andean tribe, like the Neotropical Eucharidae, is characterized by its basic chromosome number and a well developed false corona or staminal cup in most of the genera. The seeds are uniformly dry, flattened and obliquely winged. In its original circumscription, the tribe was polyphyletic, for this reason a new tribe, Clinanteheae, has ben proposed for the members with linear leaves. Stenomesson (16 species) is distributed from Colombia to Northern Chile, Phaedranassa
Phaedranassa is a genus of plant in family Amaryllidaceae. It contains the following species :* Phaedranassa brevifolia, Meerow* Phaedranassa cinerea, Ravenna* Phaedranassa glauciflora, Meerow...
(9 species) ranges from Costa Rica to Ecuador, EucrosiaEucrosia is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family distributed from Ecuador to Peru. It contains eight species...
(8 species) ranges from Ecuador to Peru, and Rauhia (4 species) and the monotypic Mathieua are endemic to Peru.
- Eustephieae (4 genera, x= 23). This tribe represents a southern central andean clade. All the members have leaves with well developed palisade layers, exhibit a reduction series in staminal fusion and have trifid stigmas. The seeds are dry, flatetened and discoid. The species also exhibit changes in chrmosome number from the ancestral 2n =46. Eustephia (6 species) is endemic to Peru, Chlidanthus is distributed from Peru to Bolivia, Pyrolirion (6 species) from Peru to Northern Chile, and Hieronymiella (8 species) ranges from Southern Bolivia to North Western Argentina.
- Hymenocallideae (3 genera, x = 23). Leptochiton (2 species) and Ismene
Ismene, or Peruvian daffodil, is a genus of tender perennial bulbs bearing a strong resemblance to Hymenocallis, a genus into which Ismene had often been grouped in the past...
(10 species) are two strictly central Andean genera, whereas the third genus of the tribe, HymenocallisHymenocallis is a genus of plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains 63 species native to tropical and subtropical America. Hymenocallis are bulbous perennial herbs. The flowers have their stamens united to a characteristic corona...
(63 species), is poorly represented in South America since it is primarily distributed in South Eastern USA, Mexico and West Indias. The flower of the members of this tribe have their stamens fused forming a characteristic corona. The fleshy seedA seed , referred to as a kernel in some plants, is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s of Hymenocallidae are comprised of a thick outer integument formed by chlorenchyma with a well-developed vascular system, and an embryo which stores starch.
- Clinantheae (3 genera, x=23) Members of this tribe have linear or lorate leaves linear, often glaucous and lacking palisade in the mesophyll. The perianth is often brightly colored, consisting of six tepals in two series fused below into a tube of varying length. The filaments of the stamens are fused into a staminal cup. The fruit is a papery or woody loculicidal capsule with dry, flattened, obliquely winged seeds with a black or brown phytomelanous testa. The tribe includes the genera Clinanthus (22 species) distributed from Ecuador to North Western Argentina, Pamianthe
Pamianthe is a genus of plant in family Amaryllidaceae. It contains the following species :* Pamianthe parviflora, Meerow...
(3 species) and Paramongaia (2 species) from Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.
Hybrids
Several members of different genera of Amaryllidaceae hybridize readily, and the resulting hybrids are often sterile but can be propagated asexually. A
hybrid nameIn botanical nomenclature, a hybrid may be given a hybrid name, which is a special kind of botanical name. The ICBN provides the following options in dealing with a hybrid:...
is usually reserved for these
horticulturallyHorticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation. Some would say that horticulture is the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant...
arising hybrids which is indicated by a multiplication sign "×" placed before the name or epithet, as the case may be. Some nothogenera (a taxonomic rank given to artificial hybrids between species from different genera, from the Greek νόθος (“bastard”) and “genus”) of Amaryllidaceae are:
- × Amarcrinum
× Amarcrinum is the scientific name applied to those hybrid plants obtained form the cross between the genera Amaryllis and Crinum...
CouttsCoutts is one of the UK's private banking houses, now owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland . RBS acquired Coutts and all of its overseas subsidiaries when it bought NatWest. On 1 January 2008, Coutts' international businesses were renamed RBS Coutts, aligning them more closely with the parent RBS...
(syn.: × Crindonna; × Crinodonna; × Amarcrinaflora): is the result of crossing Amaryllis belladonna with species of the genus CrinumCrinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
.
- × Amarine Sealy
Sealy is a surname, and may refer to:* Allan Sealy, author nominated for the Booker Prize* Alison Sealy-Smith* Malik Sealy* Philip Sealy* Scott Sealy* Tony Sealy an English footballer-Other:* Sealy Township, Logan County, North Dakota...
, is the name applied to the hybrids between Amaryllis belladonna with members of NerineNerine is a genus of plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. Native to South Africa, there are about 30 different species in the genus. Nerine have been widely cultivated and much hybridized and are now spread world wide....
.
- × Hippeastrelia is the result of crossing species of Hippeastrum
Hippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers...
with members of the genus SprekeliaSprekelia is a genus of at least three bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, or Alliaceae. They are native to Central America. Like Hippeastrum, these plants were known as Amaryllis. Sprekelia plants are sometimes called "Aztec lilies", although they are not true lilies.-Growth:S...
.
Haemanthus × clarkei W. Wats., is the product of crossing
H. albiflos with
H. coccineus, it was raised in the UK by 1891.
Clivia cyrtanthifora was raised by Charles Raes
in Ghent, Belgium in the late 1850s and it was suggested to be a hybrid between
Clivia miniataClivia miniata is a species of clivia, from South Africa. It grows to a height of about 45cm in the shade of trees and shrubs, and flowers are red, orange or yellow, with a faint, but very sweet perfume.-Cultivation:Depth and spacing: Plant with the crown above the soil surface and 30cm...
and
Clivia nobilisClivia nobilis, also called Drooping clivia, is a plant belonging to the genus Clivia. It grows to about 38 cm of height. It has pendent flowers with scarlet red and some green.-External links:**...
, which was confirmed later by means of cytogenetics tools. By means of DNA analysis, it was also confirmed that
Lycoris straminea originated from hybridization between
Lycoris chinensis and
Lycoris radiata, and
Lycoris caldwellii and
Lycoris albiflora derived from hybridization between
L. chinensis and
Lycoris sprengeri.
In the genus
Narcissus, high frequencies of natural hybrids have been reported and hybridization has been suggested as an explanation for the phenotypic variability within and between populations.
Narcissus cavanillesii is a rare species, while
N. serotinus is widely distributed across the Mediterranean. The hybrid,
N. x perezlarae, is quite frequent in southeastern Spain but is scarce in Portugal.
Genera
- Acis
Acis is a genus of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . The genus consists in 9 species distributed in Europe and Northern Africa.
The genus was reinstated in 2004, after it was determined on morphological and molecular grounds that these species should be...
Salisb.Richard Anthony Salisbury FRS was a British botanist. He was born in Leeds, England, the son of Richard Markham. He changed his last name to Salisbury following a supposed financial arrangement for support in his studies. This arrangement was claimed to have been made with a Mrs...
- Amaryllis
Amaryllis is a monotypic genus of plant also known as the Belladonna Lily or naked ladies. The single species, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape...
L.
- Ammocharis
Ammocharis is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family which includes 6 species distributed in Africa. The plant grows as a succulent, above-ground bulb, preferring seasonally wet, hot, sandy soils and full sun.-Species:...
Herb.-Earls:*William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke *William Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke *William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke *William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke...
(Incl.: Cybistetes Milne-Redh. & Schweick.)
- Apodolirion
Apodolirion is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . It consists of 6 species distributed in South Africa...
BakerJohn Gilbert Baker was an English botanist.Baker was born in Guisborough. He worked at the library and herbarium of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew between 1866 and 1899, and was keeper of the herbarium from 1890 to 1899. He wrote handbooks on many plant groups, including Amaryllidaceae, Bromeliaceae,...
- Boophone
Boophone is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis familiy . It consists of two species distributed in Tropical and Southern Africa...
Herb.
- Brunsvigia
Brunsvigia is a flowering plant genus in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains about 20 species native to South Africa.Brunsvigia are tender bulbs, winter-growing and summer-dormant, generally flowering in early autumn. Their flowers are brilliant scarlet, pink, or red...
Heist.Lorenz Heister was a German anatomist, surgeon and botanist born in Frankfurt am Main....
- Caliphruria
Caliphruria is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis familiy . It consists of four species distributed in tropical regions of South America, three of them are endemic to Colombia. This genus is closely related with the genera Eucharis and Urceolina, all of them known...
Herb.
- Calostemma
Calostemma is a small genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . It consists in 3 species endemic to Australia, where they are distributed in arid regions with summer precipitations...
R.Br.-Politicians:*Sir Robert Brown, 1st Baronet, of Westminster , British Member of Parliament*Bob Brown , Australian Greens senator*Bob Brown , Australian Labor Party politician from 1978 to 1998...
- Chlidanthus Herb. (incl.: Castellanoa Traub)
- Clinanthus Herb. (syn.: Anax Ravenna)
- Clivia
Clivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae. Common names include Kaffir lily and bush lily.They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with dark green, strap-like leaves...
Lindl.John Lindley was an English botanist.- Life and work :Lindley was born at Catton, near Norwich, where his father, George Lindley, author of A Guide to the Orchard and Kitchen Garden, owned a nursery garden. He was educated at what was then Norwich Grammar School...
- Crinum
Crinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
L.
- Crossyne Salisb.
- Cryptostephanus Welw.
Friedrich Martin Josef Welwitsch also Welwich or Velbitsch,Slovenian: Friderik Velbič was Carinthian Slovene , an Austrian explorer and botanist who discovered the plant Welwitschia.-Biography:...
ex Baker
- Cyrtanthus
Cyrtanthus is a genus of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . This highly ornamental genus encompasses about 60 species. It is endemic in the southern and eastern parts of Africa and is represented in all nine provinces of South Africa, with the highest concentration...
AitonWilliam Aiton was a Scottish botanist.Aiton was born near Hamilton. Having been regularly trained to the profession of a gardener, he travelled to London in 1754, and became assistant to Philip Miller, then superintendent of the Chelsea Physic Garden...
(syn: Anoiganthus Baker; VallotaVallota is a genus of the plant family Amaryllidaceae. It includes the Scarborough Lily ....
Salisb. ex Herb.)
- Eucharis
Eucharis is a genus of about 15-20 species of monocotyledonous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Central America and South America from Guatemala south to Bolivia.-Description:...
Planch.Jules Émile Planchon was a French botanist born in Ganges, Hérault.After receiving his Doctorate of Science at the University of Montpellier in 1844, he worked for a while at the Royal Botanical Gardens in London, and for a few years was a teacher in Nancy and Ghent...
& LindenJean Jules Linden , was a Belgian botanist and explorer, horticulturist and businessman, specialising in orchids, on which subject he wrote a number of books....
- Eucrosia
Eucrosia is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family distributed from Ecuador to Peru. It contains eight species...
Ker Gawl.John Bellenden Ker, originally John Gawler was an English botanist born about 1764 in Ramridge, Andover, Hampshire and died in June 1842 in the same town...
(syn: Callipsyche Herb.)
- Eustephia Cav.
- Galanthus L.
- Gethyllis L.
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
(syn.: Klingia Schönl.)
- Griffinia
- Description :Griffinia is a genus of monocotyledonous plants in the Amaryllidaceae family and the Griffineae tribe. It includes 21 species which are endemic to South America, Brazil. The most closely related genus to It is the monotypic Worsleya. The members of the genus Griffinia are tropical,...
Ker Gawl.John Bellenden Ker, originally John Gawler was an English botanist born about 1764 in Ramridge, Andover, Hampshire and died in June 1842 in the same town...
(incl. Hyline Herb. as a subgenus)
- Griffiniopsis Dutilh & Meerow (sin.: Eithea Ravenna)
- Habranthus
Habranthus is a genus of tender herbaceous flowering bulbs in the Amaryllidaceae. The genus was first identified by pioneering bulb enthusiast William Herbert in 1824....
Herb. (sin.: Zephyranthella (Pax) Pax; Haylockia Herb.)
- Haemanthus
Haemanthus is a Southern African genus of Amaryllidaceae with some 22 known species, endemic to South Africa, Namibia and the kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland...
L.
- Hannonia Braun-Blanq.
Josias Braun-Blanquet was an influential phytosociologist and botanist. Braun-Blanquet was born in Chur, Switzerland and died in Montpellier, France....
& Maire
- Hessea Herb. (syn.: Kamiesbergia Snijman)
- Hieronymiella Pax
Ferdinand Albin Pax was a German botanist and entomologist specialising in Lepidoptera and Diptera.He was a professor of botany and zoology at the Technical University of Wroclaw.- Taxa :...
(syn.: Eustephiopsis R.E.Fr. Robert Elias Fries , the youngest son of Thore M. Fries and grandson of Elias Magnus Friesand an expert on mushrooms...
)
- Hippeastrum
Hippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers...
Herb. (syn: Moldenkea Traub)
- Hymenocallis
Hymenocallis is a genus of plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains 63 species native to tropical and subtropical America. Hymenocallis are bulbous perennial herbs. The flowers have their stamens united to a characteristic corona...
Salisb.
- Ismene
Ismene, or Peruvian daffodil, is a genus of tender perennial bulbs bearing a strong resemblance to Hymenocallis, a genus into which Ismene had often been grouped in the past...
Salisb. ex Herb (incl. Elisena Herb. and Pseudostenomesson Velarde as subgenera)
- Lapiedra Lag.
- Leptochiton Sealy
- Leucojum L.
- Lycoris Herb.
- Mathieua Klotzsch
Johann Friedrich Klotzsch was a German pharmacist and botanist.His principal work was in the field of mycology, with the study and description of many species of mushroom.-Selected works:...
- Namaquanula D.Müll.-Doblies
Dietrich Muller-Doblies is a German systematic botanist. His main areas of interest are the Bryophyta, the Spermatophyta, the Monocotyledons, Amaryllidaceae, Colchicaceae and Hyacinthaceae. He is currently at the Herbarium of the Technische Universität Berlin...
& U.Müll.-Doblies
- Narcissus L. (incl.: Braxireon Raf. and Tapeinanthus Herb.)
- Nerine
Nerine is a genus of plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. Native to South Africa, there are about 30 different species in the genus. Nerine have been widely cultivated and much hybridized and are now spread world wide....
Herb.
- Pamianthe
Pamianthe is a genus of plant in family Amaryllidaceae. It contains the following species :* Pamianthe parviflora, Meerow...
StapfOtto Stapf was an Austrian born botanist.Stapf trained in Vienna, moving to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 1890. He was keeper of the Herbarium from 1909 to 1920. He was awarded the Linnean Medal in 1927....
- Pancratium
Pancratium is a genus of about 21 species of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, which latter also includes the genera Narcissus and Galanthus . The genus is found along the coastline of the Mediterranean area extending to the Canary Islands, tropical Africa and...
L. (syn.: Mizonia A.Chev.; Chapmanolirion Dinter )
- Paramongaia Velarde
- Phaedranassa
Phaedranassa is a genus of plant in family Amaryllidaceae. It contains the following species :* Phaedranassa brevifolia, Meerow* Phaedranassa cinerea, Ravenna* Phaedranassa glauciflora, Meerow...
Herb. (sin: Neostricklandia Rauschert; Stricklandia Baker)
- Phycella Lyndl. (incl.:Famatina Ravenna)
- Placea
Placea is a genus of about 6 species of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. They are endemic to Chile.-List of species:...
MiersJohn Miers may refer to:* John Miers , British artist* John Miers , British botanist...
- Plagiolirion Baker
- Proiphys
Proiphys is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. It consists of 4 species that are native to Southeast Asia and Australia.-Description:...
Herb. (syn.: Eurycles Salisb. ex Schult. & Schult.)
- Pyrolirion Herb.
- Rauhia Traub
- Rhodophiala
Rhodophiala is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . It consists in 28 South American species distributed in southern Brazil, Argentina, and, specially, in Chile.-Description:...
C.PreslKarel Bořivoj Presl was a Bohemian botanist.He lived all his life in Prague, and was a professor at the University of Prague. He made an expedition to Sicily in 1817, and published a Flora bohemica in 1820....
(syn.: Rhodolirium Phil.Rodolfo Armando Philippi was a German-Chilean paleontologist and zoologist....
; Rhodolirion Dalla Torre & Harms)
- Scadoxus
Scadoxus is a genus of 9 species native to tropical Africa. The genus has close affinities with Haemanthus from which it has only recently been separated.Species in the genus are...
Raf. (syn: Choananthus Rendle)
- Sprekelia
Sprekelia is a genus of at least three bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, or Alliaceae. They are native to Central America. Like Hippeastrum, these plants were known as Amaryllis. Sprekelia plants are sometimes called "Aztec lilies", although they are not true lilies.-Growth:S...
Heist.Lorenz Heister was a German anatomist, surgeon and botanist born in Frankfurt am Main....
- Stenomesson Herb. (syn: Anax Ravenna; Callithauma Herb.; Crocopsis Pax, Pucara Ravenna)
- Sternbergia
Sternbergia is a genus in Amaryllidaceae of around 8 species that show a broad distribution throughout Mediterranean Europe and Asia, and was first described by Clusius in 1601 as Narcissus, before being redescribed by Carl Linnaeus as Amaryllis in 1753...
Waldst.Franz de Paula Adam Norbert Wenzel Ludwig Valentin von Waldstein was an Austrian soldier, explorer and naturalist....
& Kit.Pál Kitaibel was a Hungarian botanist and chemist.He was born at Mattersburg and studied botany and chemistry at the undersity of Buda. He became professor taught these subjects at Pest in 1794...
- Strumaria
Strumaria is a genus of plant in family Amaryllidaceae. It contains the following species :* Strumaria barbarae, Oberm.* Strumaria hardyana, D.& U. Müll.-Doblies* Strumaria phonolithica, Dinter...
Jacq.Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin or Baron Nikolaus von Jacquin. was a Dutch scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany....
ex Willd.Carl Ludwig Willdenow was a German botanist, pharmacist, and plant taxonomist. He is considered one of the founders of phytogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of plants...
(Sin.: Bokkeveldia D.Müll.-Doblies & U.Müll.-Doblies; Carpolyza Salisb.;Gemmaria Salisb.; Carpolyza Salisb.; Tedingea D.Müll.-Doblies & U.Müll.-Doblies)
- Traubia Moldenke
- Ungernia Bunge
- Urceolina Rchb.
Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach was a German botanist and ornithologist.He was the son of Johann Friedrich Jakob Reichenbach, the author in 1818 of the first Greek-German dictionary. He was the father of Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach, equally a botanist and an eminent orchid...
(sin: Collania Schult.Josef August Schultes 1773-1831 was an Austrian botanist and professor in Vienna. Together with Johann Jacob Roemer, he published the 16th edition of Linnaeus' Systema Vegetabilium. In 1821, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.Father of Julius Hermann Schultes....
& Schult.f. Julius Hermann Schultes was an Austrian botanist in Vienna. He co-authored volume 7 of the Roemer & Schultes edition of the Systema Vegetabilium with his father Josef August Schultes....
; Pseudourceolina Vargas)
- Vagaria Herb.
- Worsleya
The genus Worsleya contains only one species - Worsleya procera previously Worsleya rayneri. It's one of the largest and rarest members in the Amaryllidaceae family. Worsleya is a tropical plant...
(W.WatsonWilliam Watson may refer to:*W. Marvin Watson , U.S. Postmaster General*William E. Watson, military historian*William H. Watson , Mexican-American War soldier from Maryland*William J. Watson...
ex Traub) Traub
- Zephyranthes
Zephyranthes is a genus of about 70 species in the Amaryllis family. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily and rain lily....
Herb. (syn: CooperiaCooperia is a genus of tender herbaceous perennials native to South America and the southern reaches of North America. They are closely related to Zephyranthes and Habranthus, all members of the Amaryllidaceae, or Amaryllis family. All three genera are commonly known as rainlilies because of their...
Herb.)
Ecology
Most species are adapted to
seasonA season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather.Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution...
al climates that have a pronounced dry or cold period unfavourable for plant growth and during which the plants remain dormant. As a result most species are
deciduousDeciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
. Evergreen species are restricted to subtropical forests or savannah, temperate grasslands and perennially moist
fynbosFynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate.- Cape Floral Kingdom :Fynbos grows in a 100-200 km wide coastal belt stretching from...
. The aboveground parts (leaves and stems) of deciduous species die down when the bulb or corm enters
dormancyDormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity is temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be closely associated with environmental conditions...
. The plants thus survive periods that are unfavourable for growth by retreating underground. This is particularly useful in
grasslandGrasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s and fynbos, which are adapted to regular burning in the dry season. At that point the plants are dormant and their bulbs or corms are able to survive underground. The Neotropical genera of Amaryllidaceae are chiefly adapted for seasonally dry habitats and some prefer truly xeric environments in which their bulbs may remain
dormantDormant means lacking activity. It can refer to several things.*Dormancy in an organism's life cycle*Dormant volcano, a volcano that is inactive but may become active in the future...
for a period longer than they are in active growth (e.g.,
Leptochiton, Paramongaia, some
EucrosiaEucrosia is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family distributed from Ecuador to Peru. It contains eight species...
). At the other extreme, species have colonized the understory of rain forests
(Eucharis-Organisms:* Eucharis , a genus of ants* Eucharis , a genus of monocotyledons* a lapsus for the bee genus Epicharis* an invalid name for the bivalves genus Basterotia* an invalid name for the ctenophore genus Cabira...
, Griffinia- Description :Griffinia is a genus of monocotyledonous plants in the Amaryllidaceae family and the Griffineae tribe. It includes 21 species which are endemic to South America, Brazil. The most closely related genus to It is the monotypic Worsleya. The members of the genus Griffinia are tropical,...
) and aquatic habitats (a number of
HymenocallisHymenocallis is a genus of plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains 63 species native to tropical and subtropical America. Hymenocallis are bulbous perennial herbs. The flowers have their stamens united to a characteristic corona...
,
Hippeastrum angustifolium, CrinumCrinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
). The family has also adapted to the high montane tropical climates of the Andes. Certain genera are primarily found at elevations in excess of 2000 meters; and
Clinanthus humilis is found above 4000 meters. This species has adapted to high elevations by retaining the scape (and developing fruit) inside the bulb until the seeds are ripe.
VeldThe term Veld refers primarily to the wide open rural spaces of South Africa or southern Africa and in particular to certain flatter areas or districts covered in grass or low scrub. The word veld is preserved also in the Afrikaans and Dutch), literally meaning 'field'...
fires clear the soil surface of competing vegetation and fertilise it with ash. With the arrival of the first rains, the dormant bulbs are ready to burst into growth, sending up flowers and stems before they can be shaded out by other vegetation. Many Amaryllidaceae species are adapted to cope with wildfires in their natural habitats, and those that depend on fire to flower are appropriately known as "fire lilies". In South Africa, several members of the genus
CyrtanthusCyrtanthus is a genus of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . This highly ornamental genus encompasses about 60 species. It is endemic in the southern and eastern parts of Africa and is represented in all nine provinces of South Africa, with the highest concentration...
are noted for their extremely rapid flowering response to natural bush fires. Indeed, species like
Cyrtanthus contractus, widespread in the eastern half of South Africa, as well as
Cyrtanthus ventricosus from the south western Cape, and
Cyrtanthus odorus from the southern Cape, only flower after fires. The flowers of
C. ventricosus are known to reach full flowering stage in just nine days following a fire. At least in
C. ventricosus, this dependency on fire for initiating the flowering process is regulated by the smoke. Aspects of the life history of
Haemanthus pubescensHaemanthus pubescens is an endemic South African bulbous geophyte belonging to the Amaryllidaceae....
were examined in the fire-prone Mediterranean climate zone of Lowland Coastal Fynbos in South Africa. The juvenile period of the species spans 9 years. The young reproductive period starts at 10 to 13 years and the reproductive maturity peaked at 16 years. Plants older than 17 years showed a marked reduction in reproductive potential. These age states indicated that the life-history strategy in terms of age states was similar to that of other fynbos plants and showed remarkable synchronization with the suggested fire frequency of about 15 to 20 years for this area. The phenological study indicated that the species is well adapted to the putative fire season. Flowers are only produced toward the end of the fire season, and leaves appear only in the cooler, wetter months when fires are unlikely to occur. Seeds are not dormant and germinate on the soil surface at the start of the cool, wet season.
Reproductive biology
Members of Amaryllidaceae possess extraordinary diversity in reproductive traits, even among closely related species. This variation is the result of the evolutionary lability of reproductive characters and implies that there are diverse functional solutions for achieving mating and fertility. The floral diversification that has accompanied the coevolution of flowers and animal pollinators is particularly striking and has resulted in contrasting suites of floral characters associated with different pollinator groups
HeterostylyHeterostyly is a unique form of polymorphism and herkogamy in flowers. In a heterostylous species, two or three different morphological types of flowers, termed morphs, exist in the population. On each individual plant, all flowers share the same morph. The flower morphs differ in the lengths of...
is a genetically controlled floral polymorphism with two morphological forms, namely, distyly and tristyly, that are characterized by two or three morphs, respectively. These morphs show variations in style and filament length, pollen grain size and production, and in the size of the stigmatic papillae and corolla. In addition, the morphs have an self-incompatibility system by which seeds are only produced in intermorph crosses. Reciprocal
herkogamyHerkogamy is a common strategy employed by hermaphroditic angiosperms to reduce sexual interference between male and female function. Herkogamy differs from other such strategies by supplying a spatial separation of the anthers and stigma.Two forms of herkogamy are most common:1...
forces pollinators to contact same-level floral organs with the same region of their body, thereby producing "legitimate" (intermorph) pollination. This morphological (floral parts) and physiological (incompatibility system) convergence in distylous species provides an efficient mechanism that avoids selfing and maximizes male and female fitness.
Narcissus, a small genus of animal-pollinated species, has four major classes of stylar condition: stylar monomorphism, stigma-height dimorphism, distyly, and tristyly are represented among the 10 sections recognized in the genus. No other heterostylous taxon displays this range of stylar variation. Monomorphism is the ancestral condition in
Narcissus and stigma-height dimorphism appears to have evolved multiple times. Floral morphology and pollinator relationships played an important role in the evolution of stylar polymorphisms in the genus. Long, narrow floral tubes (correlated with relatively precise depth-probed pollination by
LepidopteraLepidoptera is an order of insects that includes moths and butterflies. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
) probably promoted the evolution of stigma-height dimorphism. Finally, the unusual conjunction of long, narrow floral tubes and deep coronas, part of a suite of floral features associated with pollination by long-tongued solitary bees, likely facilitated the convergent origins of heterostyly in
Narcissus.
ZephyranthesZephyranthes is a genus of about 70 species in the Amaryllis family. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily and rain lily....
is a rather versatile genus and contains self-incompatible and self-compatible species coupled with positional barrier between stigma and anthers. Furthermore, the genus also contains sexual and agamospermous species. The latter are often self-pollinated and pseudogamous.
Zephyranthes atamasca is capable of producing seeds both by self-pollination and by outcrossing with other individuals of the species. Because the styles project beyond the anthers, however, self pollination in nature is probably less frequent than outcrossing. In contrast, it was documented a process of asexual seed production (
apomixisIn botany, apomixis is replacement of the normal sexual reproduction by asexual reproduction, without fertilization...
) in
Zephyranthes texensis. Ovules of
Z. texensis produce embryos without any cells ever undergoing meiosis and without fusion of sperm and egg. So, whereas the seeds of most plant species are produced by sexual processes and bear a shuffled allotment of genes from both parents, the asexual seeds of
Z. texensis are all genetically identical to the parent plant from which they were produced.
Z. sulphurea (2n=48) when pollinated with
Z. candida (2n=40 and 41) has consistently given rise to seedlings with maternal chromosome number and morphology. On the other hand, the crosses involving sexual species like
Z. candida (2n=41) as the female parent have generated a large heterogeneous progeny ranging in chromosome number from 2n=33 to 48 depending upon the number in the male parent. Such versatility of the breeding system together with chromosomal repatterning, hybridization,
polyploidyPolyploidy occurs in cells and organisms when there are more than two paired sets of chromosomes.Most organisms are normally diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes — one set inherited from each parent. Polyploidy may occur due to abnormal cell division. It is most commonly found in...
and vegetative multiplication/apomixis explains the origin and preservation of an astonishing range in chromosome numbers from 2n=18 to 96 in this genus.
Especially in
CyrtanthusCyrtanthus is a genus of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family . This highly ornamental genus encompasses about 60 species. It is endemic in the southern and eastern parts of Africa and is represented in all nine provinces of South Africa, with the highest concentration...
the flowers are so diverse that they attract sunbirds, bees, long-tongued flies, butterflies and moths. Members of the genus
Brunsvigia appear to show considerable variation in pollination syndromes. A total of 22 species of southern African genera
Crinum,
Cyrtanthus and
Pancratium conform to the syndrome of sphingophily, which includes a long-tubed, pale-coloured perianth that expands more fully at night, a strong sweet fragrance dominated by the acyclic terpenoid alcohol, linalool and abundant nectar.
Southern Africa also has several Amaryllidaceae with remarkable dispersal abilities. Species of
BrunsvigiaBrunsvigia is a flowering plant genus in the family Amaryllidaceae. It contains about 20 species native to South Africa.Brunsvigia are tender bulbs, winter-growing and summer-dormant, generally flowering in early autumn. Their flowers are brilliant scarlet, pink, or red...
, BoophoneBoophone is a genus of herbaceous, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis familiy . It consists of two species distributed in Tropical and Southern Africa...
and
Crossyne in particular have large, light, spherical fruiting heads that tumble along the ground in the wind, shedding their seeds as they move.
Economic and cultural value
Worldwide the Amaryllidaceae have greatest economic value as ornamentals. In addition, huge numbers of plants are traded for traditional medicines. Africans use the bulbs and leaves as poultices and decoctions for treating sores and digestive disorders, but in large dosages they are extremely poisonous. The
ZuluThe Zulu are the largest South African ethnic group of an estimated 10–11 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Small numbers also live in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. Their language, Zulu, is a Bantu language; more specifically, part of the Nguni...
people of South Africa also use rhizomes of clivias as protective charms. In
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
, the Inca people frequently depicted flowers of Amaryllidaceae
(IsmeneIsmene is the name of two women of Greek mythology. The more famous is a daughter and half-sister of Oedipus, daughter and granddaughter of Jocasta, and sister of Antigone, Eteocles, and Polynices. She appears in several plays of Sophocles: at the end of Oedipus the King and to a limited extent in...
, Pyolirion and
Stenomesson) on ceremonial drinking vessels. In southern Africa, however, indigenous art portraying plants is rare. The single known rock painting of a
Brunsvigia species in
LesothoLesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave — entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over 30,000 km² in size with an estimated population of almost 1,800,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is the southernmost...
probably emphasizes how much the San people valued the bulbs for their psychoactive effects.
In cool temperate climates,
Narcissus (daffodils),
Leucojum (snowflakes) and
Galanthus (snowdrops) are among the most important spring-flowering bulbs in commerce. Elsewhere, in warm temperate and subtropical climates, species of
AmaryllisAmaryllis is a monotypic genus of plant also known as the Belladonna Lily or naked ladies. The single species, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape...
, CliviaClivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae. Common names include Kaffir lily and bush lily.They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with dark green, strap-like leaves...
, HippeastrumHippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers...
, NerineNerine is a genus of plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. Native to South Africa, there are about 30 different species in the genus. Nerine have been widely cultivated and much hybridized and are now spread world wide....
, and
ZephyranthesZephyranthes is a genus of about 70 species in the Amaryllis family. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily and rain lily....
are the most popular choices for gardens and containers.
Conservation status
Habitat loss is currently the greatest threat to the Amaryllidaceae in South Africa, where 59 species are endangered or vulnerable and 58 species are near threatened.
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