Hymenocallis

''Hymenocallis'' (US) or , p. 76 (UK) is a genus of American plants in the amaryllis family.

''Hymenocallis'' contains more than 60 species of herbaceous bulbous perennials native to the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Some species are cultivated as ornamentals in warm nations around the globe, and a few have become naturalized in parts of Africa and on various tropical islands. Many of the species from the Caribbean and from the southeastern United States inhabit wet areas such as marshes, streambanks, and seashores. Some species even have floating seeds. Some of the Mexican species, in contrast, grow on grassy slopes in hills and mountains.

The flower stalks arise from basal rosettes of strap-shaped leaves. The terminal clusters of fragrant flowers are green, white or yellow, and can be large and spectacular. The genus name is derived from the Greek words ὑμήν (''hymen''), meaning "membrane", and καλός (''kalos''), meaning "beautiful". It refers to the curious shape of the flowers, which consist of six narrow, curved petals attached to a shallow cup that is formed from the fused stamens. The effect is of a spidery daffodil or lily, thus explaining the common name "spider lily".

Taxonomy

The genus ''Hymenocallis'' was created by Richard Anthony Salisbury in 1812, when he separated out a number of species formerly placed in '' Pancratium'', starting with '' Hymenocallis littoralis''. The main reason for the separation was that the fruits have only two seeds in each locule. Salisbury explained the name as referring to the "beautiful membrane which connects the filaments."; se
page 338
in the third edition published in 1820.

Species

, the ''World Checklist of Selected Plant Families'' accepts 65 species:, search for "Hymenocallis"

# '' Hymenocallis acutifolia'' (Herb. ex Sims) Sweet - Mexico
# '' Hymenocallis araniflora'' T.M.Howard - Sinaloa, Nayarit
# '' Hymenocallis arenicola'' Northr. - Bahamas, Greater Antilles
# '' Hymenocallis astrostephana'' T.M.Howard - Guerrero
# '' Hymenocallis azteciana'' Traub - Jalisco, Nayarit, Zacatecas
# '' Hymenocallis baumlii'' Ravenna - Chiapas
# '' Hymenocallis bolivariana'' Traub - Monagas in Venezuela
# '' Hymenocallis caribaea'' (L.) Herb. – Caribbean spiderlily - West Indies
# '' Hymenocallis choctawensis'' Traub – Choctaw spiderlily - Louisiana to Florida Panhandle
# '' Hymenocallis choretis'' Hemsl. - southern Mexico
# '' Hymenocallis cleo'' Ravenna - Chiapas
# '' Hymenocallis clivorum'' Laferr. - Sonora
# '' Hymenocallis concinna'' Baker - Jalisco
# '' Hymenocallis cordifolia'' Micheli - Guerrero
# ''Hymenocallis coronaria'' (Leconte) Kunth – Cahaba lily - South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama
# '' Hymenocallis crassifolia'' Herb. - South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida
# '' Hymenocallis durangoensis'' T.M.Howard - Durango
# '' Hymenocallis duvalensis'' Traub ex Laferr. – Dixie spiderlily - Georgia, Florida
# '' Hymenocallis eucharidifolia'' Baker - Guerrero, Oaxaca
# '' Hymenocallis fragrans'' (Salisb.) Salisb. - Jamaica
# '' Hymenocallis franklinensis'' Ger.L.Sm. – Franklin spiderlily - Florida Panhandle
# '' Hymenocallis gholsonii'' G.Lom.Sm. & Garland - Florida Panhandle
# '' Hymenocallis glauca'' (Zucc.) M.Roem. - central + southern Mexico
# '' Hymenocallis godfreyi'' G.L.Sm. & Darst – Godfrey's spiderlily - Florida Panhandle
# '' Hymenocallis graminifolia'' Greenm. - Morelos
# '' Hymenocallis guatemalensis'' Traub - Guatemala
# '' Hymenocallis guerreroensis'' T.M.Howard - Guerrero
# '' Hymenocallis harrisiana'' Herb. - central + southern Mexico
# '' Hymenocallis henryae'' Traub – Henry's spiderlily - Florida Panhandle
# '' Hymenocallis howardii'' Bauml - western Mexico
# '' Hymenocallis imperialis'' T.M.Howard - San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo
# '' Hymenocallis incaica'' Ravenna - Peru
# '' Hymenocallis jaliscensis'' M.E.Jones - Jalisco, Nayarit
# '' Hymenocallis latifolia'' (Mill.) M.Roem. – perfumed spiderlily - West Indies, Florida
# '' Hymenocallis leavenworthii'' (Standl. & Steyerm.) Bauml - Michoacán
# '' Hymenocallis lehmilleri'' T.M.Howard - Guerrero
# '' Hymenocallis limaensis'' Traub - Lima Province in Peru
# '' Hymenocallis liriosme'' (Raf.) Shinners – Texan spiderlily (yellow center) - south-central United States
# '' Hymenocallis littoralis'' (Jacq.) Salisb. - Mexico, Central America, northern South America
# '' Hymenocallis lobata'' Klotzsch - Venezuela
# '' Hymenocallis longibracteata'' Hochr. - Veracruz
# '' Hymenocallis maximilianii'' T.M.Howard - Guerrero
# '' Hymenocallis multiflora'' Vargas - Peru
# '' Hymenocallis occidentalis'' (Leconte) Kunth - southeastern + south-central United States
# '' Hymenocallis ornata'' (C.D.Bouché) M.Roem. - Guatemala
# '' Hymenocallis ovata'' (Mill.) M.Roem. - Cuba
# '' Hymenocallis palmeri'' S.Watson – alligator lily (yellow center) - Florida
# '' Hymenocallis partita'' Ravenna - Chiapas
# '' Hymenocallis phalangidis'' Bauml - Nayarit
# ''Hymenocallis pimana'' Laferr. - Chihuahua, Sonora
# '' Hymenocallis portamonetensis'' Ravenna - Chiapas
# '' Hymenocallis praticola'' Britton & P.Wilson - Cuba
# '' Hymenocallis proterantha'' Bauml - southern Mexico
# '' Hymenocallis pumila'' Bauml - Jalisco, Colima
# '' Hymenocallis puntagordensis'' Traub – Punta Gordo spiderlily - southern Florida
# '' Hymenocallis pygmaea'' Traub - North Carolina, South Carolina
# '' Hymenocallis rotata'' (Ker Gawl.) Herb. – streambank spiderlily - northern Florida
# †'' Hymenocallis schizostephana'' Worsley - Brazil but extinct
# '' Hymenocallis sonorensis'' Standl. - Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit
# '' Hymenocallis speciosa'' (L.f. ex Salisb.) Salisb. – green-tinge spiderlily - Windward Islands
# '' Hymenocallis tridentata'' Small - Florida
# '' Hymenocallis tubiflora'' Salisb. - Trinidad, Venezuela, Guianas, northwestern Brazil
# '' Hymenocallis vasconcelosii'' García-Mend. - Oaxaca, Puebla
# '' Hymenocallis venezuelensis'' Traub - Venezuela
# '' Hymenocallis woelfleana'' T.M.Howard - Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit

;formerly included
Numerous names have been coined for species once considered members of ''Hymenocallis'' but now regarded as better suited to other genera. Most of the species are native to South America. Such genera include '' Clinanthus'', '' Eucharis'', ''Ismene'', '' Leptochiton'' and '' Pancratium''.
We provide the following links to help you find appropriate information.

Cultivation

Most ''Hymenocallis'' must be grown in a warm greenhouse or in a sheltered sunny spot where the ground does not freeze. The North American species ''H. occidentalis'' is found as far north as southwestern Indiana where winters can reach . They like good drainage and grow well in a soil rich with organic matter. The following species and hybrids are found in cultivation:-

See also

* List of plants known as lily

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1368946

Amaryllidaceae genera
Taxa named by Richard Anthony Salisbury