4 Zephyranthes Herb., Appendix [Herbert]: 36 (1821).
Taxon Description
Herbs without the smell of onion or garlic. Roots thin. Bulbs with a membranous tunic, parallel-veined, without a neck or pseudostem. Leaves basal, linear, not differentiated into blade and petiole; subequaling to or longer than the scape; bases sheathing, apices obtuse to acute. Scape hollow, terete. Inflorescence scapose, with a solitary flower enclosed while in bud by a persistent 1-valved spathe. Flowers large, actinomorphic, pedicellate. Perianth pale pink to rose red or white, funnel-shaped. Tepals united at base into a short, narrow tube. Stamens unequal or subequal, inserted near throat of perianth tube. Corona absent. Ovary inferior, ovules few to many per locule. Style slender, usually longer or sometimes shorter than the stamens. Stigma distinctly 3-lobed. Capsule subglobose, splitting irregularly. Seeds black, slightly flattened.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 87 species. Three species in Nepal.
Key to Species
1a Leaf apex obtuse. Perianth white ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1. Z. candida
b Leaf apex acute. Perianth pale pink to rose red or lemon yellow …………………………………………………………….. 2
2a Perianth pale pink to rose red, 5.5–7 cm. Tepals lobes oblong-elliptic, 4–5 cm. Style 4–7 cm ..2. Z. carinata
b Perianth lemon yellow, 2.5–3.5 cm. Tepals lobes ovate, 2–2.5 cm. Style ca. 1 cm …………………….. 3. Z. citrina
1. Zephyranthes candida (Lindl.) Herb., Bot. Mag. 53 Pl.2607 (1826).
membranous, parallel-veined, roots ca. 1 mm diameter. Leaves several, fascicled, narrowly linear, 20–35 cm × 1–3 mm, subequal to or longer than the scape, apex obtuse. Scape 18–30 cm, hollow, covered with leaf sheaths for ca. ¼ to ⅕ of its length. Spathe 1.5–2.5 cm, persistent. Flower solitary, terminal, erect, 2.5–3.5 cm across. Pedicel 1.5–2 cm. Perianth white, 4–5 cm. Tube green, slender, ca. 5 mm. Tepals lobes subequal, ovate, lobes 3.5–4.5 × 0.5–1.5 cm, apex acute. Filaments unequal, 1–2 cm, slender, anthers yellow, 5–8 mm. Ovary ellipsoid, 5–7 mm. Style 4–5 cm. Capsule subglobose, ca. 1.2 cm in diameter. Seeds black, slightly flattened.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, S Asia, E Asia, Africa, N America, S America and Australasia.
Altitudinal range: 1,300–2,600 m.
Ecology: Open place, damp places.
Flowering: June–November. Fruiting: August–November.
Capsule and seed descriptions taken from Flora of China and Flora of Bhutan. Native to S America and now naturalized in numerous tropical countries.
The plant is used medicinally and as an ornamental.
2. Zephyranthes carinata Herb., Bot. Mag. 52 Pl.2594 (1825).
Amaryllis carinata (Herb.) Spreng.; A. lindleyana Schult. & Schult.f.
Bulbous herb, 15–40 cm. Bulb solitary, ovoid-globose, ca. 1–3 cm in diameter, neck developed, tunic pale brown, membranous, parallel-veined, roots ca. 1 mm in diameter. Leaves several, fascicled, linear, 12–35 cm × 2–5 mm, subequal to or longer than the scape, apex acute. Scape 10–19 cm, hollow, covered with leaf sheaths for ca. ⅕ to ⅙ of its length. Spathe 2.5–3 cm, persistent. Flower solitary, terminal, erect, 3–4.5 cm across. Pedicel 2–2.5 cm. Perianth pale pink to rose red, 5.5–7 cm. Tube green, slender, ca. 1.5 cm. Tepals lobes subequal, oblong-elliptic, 4–5 cm, apex acute. Filaments unequal, 2.5–3 cm, filiform, anthers yellow, ca. 1.2 cm. Ovary ellipsoid, 4–6 mm. Style 4–7 cm. Capsule subglobose. Seeds black, slightly flattened.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Asia, Africa, N America, S America and Australasia.
Altitudinal range: 700–1,900 m.
Ecology: Banks of paddy fields.
Flowering: April–September. Fruiting: April–September.
Capsule and seed descriptions taken from Flora of China and Flora of Bhutan. Native to C America and Mexico, and now naturalized in numerous tropical countries.
The plant is used medicinally and as an ornamental.
3. Zephyranthes citrina Baker, Bot. Mag.: 108 Pl.6605 (1882).
Bulbous herb, 15–30 cm. Bulb solitary, ovoid-globose, ca. 1–2 cm in diameter, neck developed, tunic pale brown, membranous, parallel-veined, roots ca. 1 mm diameter. Leaves several, fascicled, linear, 10–24 cm × ca. 4 mm, subequal to or longer than the scape, apex acute. Scape 10–25 cm, hollow, covered with leaf sheaths for ca. ⅕ to ⅙ of its length. Spathe 1.6–2.6 cm, persistent. Flower solitary, terminal, erect, ca. 2 cm across. Pedicel 1.5–2.7 cm. Perianth lemon yellow, 2.5–3.5 cm. Tube green, slender, 5–10 mm. Tepals lobes subequal, ovate, 2–2.5 cm, apex acute, rarely reflexed. Filaments subequal, ca. 1.5 cm, filiform, anthers yellow, 5–7 mm. Ovary ellipsoid, 4–6 mm. Style ca. 1 cm. Capsule not seen.
Distribution: Nepal, Asia and N America.
Altitudinal range: 100–1,900 m.
Ecology: Open grassland.
Flowering: October–November. Fruiting: October–November.
Zephyranthes citrina is known in Nepal only from Parmar 20151019 (KATH), which was collected from a grassland in Sarlahi district. Its native range is from Central America to the Caribbean, but it is cultivated in tropical Asia and reported to be naturalized in Myanmar.
The plant is used medicinally.