Hymenocallis littoralis

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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, 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]

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. [5]

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. [6]

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. [7]

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. [8]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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<i>Zinnia angustifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

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<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

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<i>Crinum bulbispermum</i> Species of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae

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<i>Pancratium maritimum</i> Species of plant

Pancratium maritimum, or sea daffodil, is a species of bulbous plant native to the Canary Islands and both sides of the Mediterranean region and Black Sea from Portugal, Morocco and the Balearic Islands east to Turkey, Syria, Palestine and the Caucasus. In the parts of its range on the south Bulgarian and north Turkish and Georgian coasts of Black Sea. It is also naturalized in southern California, Bermuda and the Azores.

<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>Zephyranthes robusta</i> Species of plant

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

<i>Verbena bonariensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Verbena bonariensis, the purpletop vervain, clustertop vervain, Argentinian vervain, tall verbena or pretty verbena, is a member of the verbena family cultivated as a flowering annual or herbaceous perennial plant. In USA horticulture, it is also known by the ambiguous names purpletop and South American vervain. For the misapplication "Brazilian verbena" see below.

<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>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 plant in the Amaryllidaceae with the common names "Caribbean spider-lily" or "variegated spider-lily." It is native to the islands of the Caribbean and to northern South America. It is regarded as native to Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Cuba, the Virgin Islands, and the Windward and Leeward Islands, and the Venezuelan Antilles. It is also commonly cultivated as an ornamental in many other tropical and subtropical regions and reportedly naturalized in Sri Lanka, New South Wales, Bermuda, French Guinea, Suriname, and Guyana.

Hymenocallis tridentata, the Florida spider-lily, is a bulb-forming herb native to southern Florida, to about as far north as Vero Beach. The species grows in marshes and wet prairies very close to sea level. It is similar to H. rotata, but somewhat smaller.

<i>Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides</i> Species of plant

Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides, known commonly as Mexican flamevine, orange-flowered groundsel and orange glow vine, is a climber in the family Asteraceae, native to Central America and the West Indies. It is a vigorous vine with thick evergreen, deep green leaves and bright orange daisy-like flowers, which are borne in clusters, and usually bloom all year round.

<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. "PLANTS Profile for Hymenocallis littoralis (beach spiderlily)", United States Department of Agriculture, 2009 USDA-HL8.
  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. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Hymenocallis littoralis
  6. Garden Bulbs for the South, Scott Ogden, 2007, page 226 ISBN   0-88192-813-5
  7. 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.
  8. Nadaf, Naiem. "Biofilm inhibition mechanism from extract of Hymenocallis littoralis leaves". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 222 via Science Direct.