Hymenocallis littoralis

Last updated

Beach spider lily
Flowers of Hymenocallis littoralis (beach spider lily) in West Bengal, India.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Hymenocallis
Species:
H. littoralis
Binomial name
Hymenocallis littoralis
Synonyms [1]
List
  • Pancratium littoraleJacq.
  • Troxistemon littorale(Jacq.) Raf.
  • Hymenocallis adnata var. dryandri(Ker Gawl.) Kunth
  • Hymenocallis adnata var. staplesianaHerb.
  • Hymenocallis americana fo. staplesiana(Herb.) Voss
  • Hymenocallis arenariaHerb.
  • Hymenocallis dryandri(Ker Gawl.) Sweet
  • Hymenocallis insignisKunth
  • Hymenocallis littoralis var. disticha(J. Sim) Herb.
  • Hymenocallis littoralis var. dryandri(Ker Gawl.) Herb.
  • Hymenocallis littoralis var. longitubaHerb.
  • Hymenocallis panamensisLindl.
  • Hymenocallis pedalisHerb.
  • Hymenocallis staplesiana (Herb.) M. Roem.
  • Hymenocallis tenuifloraHerb.
  • Pancratium americanumMill.
  • Pancratium distichumJ. Sim
  • Pancratium dryandriKer Gawl.
  • Pancratium littorale var. dryandri(Ker Gawl.) Schult.

Hymenocallis littoralis, commonly known as the beach spider lily or lirio de playa, is a species of plant in the amaryllis family Amaryllidaceae. It is native to warmer coastal regions of Latin America and a widely cultivated and naturalized plant in many tropical countries. [2]

Contents

Etymology

Hymenocallis is derived from Greek and means 'membraned beauty', a reference to its filament cup. [3]

Littoralis means 'growing by the seashore'. [3]

Description

Hymenocallis littoralis is a bulbous perennial herb. It ranges in height from 60–70 cm (24-28 inches). The bulb is 7–10 cm (3-4 inches) in diameter. With age, the bulb develops a neck that reaches 4–5 cm in diameter (up to 2 inches). The flowers are large, white, vanilla scented, and sessile. The tepals are adnate (attached to) the staminal cup. Each flower's tube is 14 to 17 cm (5 to 7 inches) long or longer. [4] Perhaps its most curious feature is that its seeds are succulent, being up to ninety percent water by weight. [5]

Distribution

Hymenocallis littoralis is regarded as native to Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. It is considered naturalized in Angola, the Bismarck Archipelago, Cameroon, Cape Verde, the Caroline Islands, the Central African Republic, the Chagos Archipelago, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, French Guiana, The Gambia, the Gilbert Islands, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, the Gulf of Guinea Islands, Hawaii, India, Java, the Line Islands, Marianas, Marquesas, the Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Nauru, Nigeria, Niue, Ogasawara-shoto, the Philippines, Samoa, the Seychelles, the Society Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tonga, Wake Island, Malaysia, Zaire and Zambia. [6]

Horticulture

Hymenocallis littoralis is often grown as an ornamental. It requires sunlight to partial shade for proper growth and blooms from mid-summer to late autumn with white flowers. It may be grown aquatically. [7]

Hymenocallis littoralis is included in the Tasmanian Fire Service's list of low flammability plants, indicating that it is suitable for growing within a building protection zone. [8]

Ethnopharmacology

Hymenocallis littoralis has been utilized for its medicinal value. The leaf and bulb extract contain anti-viral and anti-neoplastic properties, making it a traditional medicine for wound healing. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Amaryllis</i> Genus of plants

Amaryllis is the only genus in the subtribe Amaryllidinae. It is a small genus of flowering bulbs, with two species. The better known of the two, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of the Western Cape region of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest area between the Olifants River Valley and Knysna.

<i>Hippeastrum</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae

Hippeastrum is a genus of 116 species, and over 600 hybrids and cultivars, of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico south to Argentina and on some islands in the Caribbean. The majority have large, fleshy bulbs and tall, broad, strap-like leaves that are (generally) evergreen, and large red or purple flowers. Numerous colors and cultivars have been created over the past hundred years.

<i>Syngonium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Syngonium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical rainforests in southern Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America. They are woody vines growing to heights of 10–20 m or more in trees. They have leaves that change shape according to the plant's stage of growth, and adult leaf forms are often much more lobed than the juvenile forms usually seen on small house plants. The scientific name of the genus comes from the Greek words σύν and γονή and refers to the fused ovaries of female flowers.

<i>Fritillaria meleagris</i> Species of flowering plants in the family Liliaceae

Fritillaria meleagris is a Eurasian species of flowering plant in the lily family Liliaceae. Its common names include snake's head fritillary, snake's head, chess flower, frog-cup, guinea-hen flower, guinea flower, leper lily, Lazarus bell, chequered lily, chequered daffodil, drooping tulip or, in the British Isles, simply fritillary. The plant is a bulbous perennial native to the flood river plains of Europe where it grows in abundance.

<i>Arundina</i> Genus of orchids

Arundina graminifolia is a species of orchid and the sole accepted species of the genus Arundina. This tropical Asiatic genus extends from Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, the Ryukyu Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, China to Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. It has become naturalized in Réunion, Fiji, French Polynesia, Micronesia, the West Indies, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, and Hawaii. It is also called bamboo orchid.

<i>Amaryllis belladonna</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis belladonna, the Jersey lily, belladonna-lily, naked-lady-lily, or March lily, is a plant species native to Cape Province in South Africa but widely cultivated as an ornamental. It is reportedly naturalized in many places: Corsica, Portugal, the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Scilly Isles of Great Britain, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ascension Island, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Chile, California, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Michigan and the Juan Fernández Islands.

<i>Couroupita guianensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Couroupita guianensis, known by a variety of common names including cannonball tree, is a deciduous tree in the flowering plant family Lecythidaceae. It is native to lowland tropical rainforests of Central and South America, from Costa Rica, south to Brazil and northern Bolivia and it is cultivated in many other tropical areas throughout the world because of its fragrant flowers and large fruits, which are brownish grey. There are potential medicinal uses for many parts of Couroupita guianensis, and the tree has cultural and religious significance in South and Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka and India, the cannonball tree has been widely misidentified as the Sal tree, after its introduction to the island by the British in 1881, and has been included as a common item in Buddhist temples as a result.

<i>Caladium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Caladium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. They are often known by the common name elephant ear, heart of Jesus, and angel wings. There are over 1000 named cultivars of Caladium bicolor from the original South American plant.

<i>Allium sphaerocephalon</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium sphaerocephalon is a plant species in the Amaryllis family known as round-headed leek, round-headed garlic, ball-head onion, and other variations on these names. Drumstick allium is another common name applied to this species. Some publications use the alternate spelling Allium sphaerocephalum. It is a bulbous herbaceous perennial plant.

<i>Hymenocallis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Hymenocallis (US) or (UK) is a genus of flowering plants in the amaryllis family native to the Americas.

<i>Proiphys amboinensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Proiphys amboinensis is the type species of the flowering plant genus Proiphys. Its common names include Cardwell lily and northern Christmas lily. It is considered native to Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Bismark Archipelago, Vanuatu, New Guinea and Australia. It is also naturalized in Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, Niue, Society Islands, Caroline Islands and Mariana Islands.

<i>Heritiera littoralis</i> Species of mangrove tree in the family Malvaceae

Heritiera littoralis, commonly known as the looking-glass mangrove or tulip mangrove, is a mangrove tree in the family Malvaceae native to coastal areas of eastern Africa, Asia, Melanesia and northern Australia. The common name refers to the silvery appearance of the underside of the leaves, resembling a mirror to some degree. The strong timber has uses in marine applications and elsewhere.

<i>Zephyranthes robusta</i> Species of plant

Zephyranthes robusta, commonly known as the Brazilian copperlily, pink fairy lily or the pink rain lily, is a species of herbaceous flowering bulb in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is native to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, but is now naturalized in Florida, Colombia, South Africa, and Mauritius.

<i>Hymenocallis speciosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Hymenocallis speciosa, the green-tinge spiderlily, is a species of the genus Hymenocallis that is native to the Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. It is cultivated as an ornamental in some areas, and reportedly naturalized in Cuba and the Bahamas.

<i>Crinum asiaticum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae

Crinum asiaticum, commonly known as poison bulb, giant crinum lily, grand crinum lily, or spider lily, is a plant species widely planted in many warmer regions as an ornamental. It is a bulb-forming perennial producing an umbel of large, showy flowers that are prized by gardeners. However, all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. Some reports indicate exposure to the sap may cause skin irritation.

<i>Epipremnum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Epipremnum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, found in tropical forests from China, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia to Australia the western Pacific. They are evergreen perennial vines climbing with the aid of aerial roots. They may be confused with other Monstereae such as Rhaphidophora, Scindapsus and Amydrium.

<i>Lycoris radiata</i> Species of plant

Lycoris radiata, known as the red spider lily, red magic lily, corpse flower, or equinox flower, is a plant in the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. It is originally from China, Japan, Korea and Nepal and spread from there to the United States and elsewhere. It is considered naturalized in Seychelles and in the Ryukyu Islands. It flowers in the late summer or autumn, often in response to heavy rainfall. The common name hurricane lily refers to this characteristic, as do other common names, such as resurrection lily; these may be used for the genus as a whole.

<i>Zephyranthes rosea</i> Species of plant

Zephyranthes rosea, commonly known as the Cuban zephyrlily, rosy rain lily, rose fairy lily, rose zephyr lily or the pink rain lily, is a species of rain lily native to Peru and Colombia. They are widely cultivated as ornamentals and have become naturalized in tropical regions worldwide. Like all rain lilies, they are known for blooming only after heavy rains.

<i>Hymenocallis caribaea</i> Species of flowering plant

Hymenocallis caribaea is a flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. The species was first described by Linnaeus and later assigned its current name by Herbert.

<i>Hymenocallis tubiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Hymenocallis tubiflora is a plant species from Trinidad and northern South America. It is reported from Trinidad, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and northern Brazil. The name was originally coined in 1812, the description based on a specimen grown at Kew Botanical Garden in London, the bulb having been seized by British sailors from a French ship captured by the Royal Navy in 1803.

References

  1. "Tropicos Hymenocallis littoralis". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  2. NRCS. "Hymenocallis littoralis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  3. 1 2 Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN   9780521685535 (paperback). pp 207, 240
  4. "The Amaryllis Family: Genus Hymenocallis", James E. Shields, October 2006, SGardens-Hymenocallis2
  5. Zuchowski, Willow (2007). Tropical Plants of Costa Rica. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell Univ. Press. p. 346. ISBN   978-0801445880.
  6. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Hymenocallis littoralis [ permanent dead link ]
  7. Garden Bulbs for the South, Scott Ogden, 2007, page 226 ISBN   0-88192-813-5
  8. Chladil and Sheridan, Mark and Jennifer. "Fire retardant garden plants for the urban fringe and rural areas" (PDF). www.fire.tas.gov.au. Tasmanian Fire Research Fund.
  9. Nadaf, Naiem (2018). "Biofilm inhibition mechanism from extract of Hymenocallis littoralis leaves". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 222: 121–132. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2018.04.031. PMID   29698774 via Science Direct.