Pancratium maritimum

Last updated

Sea daffodil
Pacratium maritimum Paestum.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Pancratium
Species:
P. maritimum
Binomial name
Pancratium maritimum
L.
Synonyms [2]
  • P. angustifoliumM. Roem.
  • Hymenocallis maritima(L.) M.Roem.
  • Pancratium carolinianumL.
  • Scilla parvaGarsault
  • Hymenocallis laceraSalisb.
  • Hymenocallis caroliniana(L.) Herb.
  • Hymenocallis ruiziiM.Roem.
  • Pancratium aegyptiacumM.Roem.
  • Pancratium abchasicumRegel
  • Pancratium maritimum var. aureumPynaert
  • Pancratium angustifoliumLojac. 1909, illegitimate homonym, not M.Roem. 1847
  • Pancratium barcinonenseSennen
  • Pancratium mirennaeMattei
  • Pancratium linosaeSoldano & F.Conti

Pancratium maritimum, or sea daffodil, is a species of bulbous plant native to both sides of the Mediterranean region and the Black Sea, from the Canary Islands, Portugal, Morocco, and Cyprus, and east to Turkey, Syria, Israel and the Caucasus. [2] [3] Parts of its range on the coasts of the Black Sea include south Bulgaria, north Turkey and Georgian. It is also naturalized in southern California, Bermuda and the Azores. [2] [4]

Contents

Pancratium maritimum grows on beaches and coastal sand dunes, often with much of the leaves and scapes buried in the sand. Other vernacular names are sea lily, sand daffodil, sand lily and lily of St. Nicholas, [5] (although it is not a true lily). The specific epithet maritimum means "of the sea". [6]

Description

Pancratium maritimum is a bulbous perennial with a long neck and glaucous, broadly linear leaves, evergreen, but the leaves often die back during hot summers. Scape to 40 centimetres (16 in). Flowers 3–15 in an umbel, [5] up to 15 cm (6 in) long, white. Corona two-thirds as long as the tepals. The flowers have a pleasing, exotic and very subtle lily scent, which only becomes apparent during still, windless summer nights that allow the delicate fragrance to become perceptible. Flowering is from August to October. [3]

Group of flowers on the Sardinian coast Pancratium maritimum sardinia.JPG
Group of flowers on the Sardinian coast

Chemistry

4'-Hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxy-8-methylflavan is a flavan found in P. maritimum. [7]

Ecology

Pancratium maritimum is pollinated by a hawk-moth named Agrius convolvuli . [8] These insects visit the flower only when the speed of the wind is under 2 metres per second (6.6 ft/s). [8] Even if the species is pollinated in an artificial way during windy weather the pollination is not effective. Pancratium maritimum is not receptive to its own pollen and must be cross-pollinated. [8]

Pancratium maritimum cluster with seed pods in Corfu. Sea-daffodil-corfu.jpg
Pancratium maritimum cluster with seed pods in Corfu.

Cultivation

Easily grown but requires a very sunny position and a very well drained, sandy soil. Needs hot summers to induce flowering and is often a shy bloomer in cooler climates. Hardy to USDA zone 8. Tolerates temperatures down to about −5 °C (23 °F). Propagation by seeds or division after flowering. Seedlings may flower in their third or fourth year. [9] [10]

Culture

The Hebrew name for the flower is חבצלת החוף (khavatselet ha-Khof), closely related to the rose of Sharon (khavatselet ha-Sharonחבצלת השרון) mentioned in the Song of Solomon. Since the plant grows on the Sharon plain of the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, it is suggested the biblical passage may refer to this flower. [11]

See also

References

  1. Juan Vicedo, J. (2018). "Pancratium maritimum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T18990540A57467022. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T18990540A57467022.en . Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. 1 2 Altervista Flora Italiana, Giglio marino comune, Pancratium maritimum
  4. "Pancratium maritimum L. - sea-daffodil". US Department of Agriculture Plant profile. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Pancratium maritimum Sea daffodil, sea lily, lily of St Nicholas Κρίνος της θάλασσας Amaryllidaceae - amaryllis family Monocot". wildflowersofskopelos.org.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  6. Jaeger, Edmund Carroll (1959). A source-book of biological names and terms . Springfield, Ill: Thomas. ISBN   0-398-06179-3.{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  7. A. A. Ali; M. A. Makboul; A. A. Attia; D. T. Ali (1990). "Chromones and flavans from Pancratium maritimum". Phytochemistry . 29 (2): 625–627. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(90)85130-8.
  8. 1 2 3 "Pancratium maritimum". flowers of chania (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  9. Plants for a Future, sea daffodil, Pancratium maritimum
  10. Dave's Garden, PlantFiles: Sea Daffodil, Sand Lily, Northern Marsh Orchid Pancratium maritimum/
  11. Coastal Lily [ permanent dead link ] at wildflowers.co.il (Hebrew)

Other sources