2. Pancratium L., Sp. Pl. 1: 290 (1753).
Taxon Description
Herbs without the smell of onion or garlic. Roots thin. Bulb with a membranous tunic, parallel-veined, elongated above into a neck or pseudostem. Leaves basal, linear, not differentiated into blade and petiole, longer than the scape, bases sheathing. Scape solid, angled. Inflorescence a scapose umbel, with few flowers enclosed in bud by a persistent 2- or 3- valved spathe. Flowers large, actinomorphic, pedicellate. Perianth white, funnel-shaped. Tepals united below into a long tube. Stamens subequal, inserted at throat of perianth tube. Corona present. Ovary inferior, ovules numerous per locule. Style filiform, longer than the stamens. Stigma entire, minute. Capsule subglobose, 3-angled, loculicidal. Seeds black, angular.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 21 species. One species in Nepal.
1. Pancratium verecundum Aiton, Hort. Kew. [W. Aiton] 1: 412 (1789).
Bulbous herb 15–50 cm. Bulb solitary, ovoid, ca. 5 cm in diameter, neck cylindric, tunic pale brown, membranous, parallel-veined, roots ca. 1 mm diameter. Leaves 4–10, basal, linear, ca. 35 × 1–3.5 cm, longer than the scape, gradually tapering to sheathing base, apex acute. Scape 10–35 cm, solid, covered with leaf sheaths for ca. ⅓ to ¼ of its length. Spathe 2.5–5 cm, 2- or 3-valved, persistent. Inflorescence a lax umbel, 2–6-flowered, 12–14 cm across. Pedicels subequal, 5–10 mm. Perianth white, 10–16 cm. Tube green, slender, 6.5–10 cm. Tepals lobes subequal, white, linear, lobes 3.5–6 cm, apex acute. Filaments subequal, ca. 2 cm, white, anthers yellow, ca. 5 mm. Ovary oblong–elliptic, ca. 5–7 mm. Style ca. 12 cm. Capsule subglobose or 3-angled, loculicidal. Seeds black, angled.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya and S Asia.
Altitudinal range: 400–500 m.
Ecology: Dry, sandy places.
Flowering: June–August. Fruiting: June–August.
Capsule description taken from Flora of Bhutan.