''Ismene'', or Peruvian daffodil, is a genus of
South American plants in the
Amaryllis family
The Amaryllidaceae are a family of herbaceous, mainly perennial and bulbous (rarely rhizomatous) flowering plants in the monocot order Asparagales. The family takes its name from the genus ''Amaryllis'' and is commonly known as the amaryllis fami ...
. The species are native to
Peru and
Ecuador and widely cultivated elsewhere as ornamentals because of their large, showy flowers.
''Ismene'' produces tender perennial bulbs bearing a strong resemblance to those of ''
Hymenocallis'', a genus into which ''Ismene'' had often been grouped in the past. However, its morphology differs from ''Hymenocallis'' in several significant ways: its vegetative parts, natural range, and chromosome number are all distinct.
''Ismene'' can be difficult to grow in the United States.
[Howard, Thad M. ''Bulbs for Warm Climates''. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 2001, pp 98–99.]
Species
A list of ''Ismene'' species and their geographic distribution is given below.
[
*'']Ismene amancaes
''Ismene amancaes'', commonly called amancae or amancay, is a herbaceous plant species in the family Amaryllidaceae and native to the coastal hills of Peru.
Description
''I. amancaes'' is a species with spherical bulbs 3.5–5 cm in dia ...
'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Herb – western Peru
*'' Ismene hawkesii'' (Vargas) Gereau & Meerow – Cusco
Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the list of cities in Peru, seventh m ...
, Peru
*''Ismene longipetala
In Greek mythology, Ismene (; grc, Ἰσμήνη, ''Ismēnē'') is the 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 th ...
'' (Lindl.) Meerow – southwestern Ecuador, northwestern Peru
*''Ismene morrisonii
In Greek mythology, Ismene (; grc, Ἰσμήνη, ''Ismēnē'') is the 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 th ...
'' (Vargas) Gereau & Meerow – Apurímac, Peru
*''Ismene narcissiflora
''Ismene narcissiflora'' is a plant species in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is native to Peru and Bolivia.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6449974
Flora of Peru
Amaryllidoideae ...
'' (Jacq.) M.Roem. – south-central Peru
*''Ismene nutans
''Ismene nutans'' is a plant species in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is native to the Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along ...
'' (Ker Gawl.) Herb. – Peru
*''Ismene pedunculata
In Greek mythology, Ismene (; grc, Ἰσμήνη, ''Ismēnē'') is the 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 th ...
'' Herb. – Peru
*''Ismene ringens
In Greek mythology, Ismene (; grc, Ἰσμήνη, ''Ismēnē'') is the 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 th ...
'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Gereau & Meerow – Peru
*''Ismene sublimis
In Greek mythology, Ismene (; grc, Ἰσμήνη, ''Ismēnē'') is the 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 th ...
'' (Herb.) Gereau & Meerow – La Libertad, Peru
*''Ismene vargasii
In Greek mythology, Ismene (; grc, Ἰσμήνη, ''Ismēnē'') is the 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 th ...
'' (Velarde) Gereau & Meerow – Peru
Hybrids
* ''Ismene'' × ''deflexa'' Herb. (''I. longipetala'' × ''I. narcissiflora)'' – Peru
References
External links
International Bulb Society's gallery of photographs
Amaryllidoideae
Amaryllidaceae genera
Flora of South America
{{Amaryllidaceae-stub