Zephyranthes rosea explained

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.

They contain potentially lethal toxins.

Description

Zephyranthes rosea are perennial herbaceous monocots. They are small plants, reaching only 15to in height.[1] They bear five to six narrow and flattened dark green linear leaves, about 3to wide, from spherical tunicate bulbs around 1.5cmto2.5cmcm (00.6inchesto01inchescm) in diameter.[2] [3]

The single funnel-shaped flowers are borne erect or slightly inclined on scapes around 10to long. The spathes are around 2cmto2.8cmcm (01inchesto01.1inchescm) long and slightly divided only at the tip.[4] The fragrant six-petaled flowers are around 2.5cm (01inches) in diameter and 3to in length. The perianth is bright pink with a green central perianth tube that is less than 5mm long.[5] [6] [7] The six stamens are of different lengths – one of 11mm, one of 16mm, and four between 12and.[5] They are shorter than the style and inserted at the mouth of the perianth.[4] The anthers are 3to long.[8]

The flowers develop into capsules that are divided deeply into three lobes.[9] The seeds are shiny black and flattened.[2]

Classification

Zephyranthes rosea belongs to the genus Zephyranthes (rain lilies) of the subtribe Zephyranthinea of the tribe Hippeastreae.[10] It is classified under the subfamily Amaryllidoideae of the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). In broader classifications, they are sometimes included within the lily family (Liliaceae).

Nomenclature

Zephyranthes rosea (like other rain lilies) are so named because they produce short-lived flowers only after seasonal heavy rains or storms.[5] [11] [12] In Z. rosea, this usually occurs during the late summer. The generic name Zephyranthes literally means "flowers of the west wind", from Greek ζέφυρος (zéphuros, the god of the west wind) and ἄνθος (anthos, 'flower').[13] Zephyrus, the Greek personification of the west wind, is also associated with rainfall. The specific name comes from Latin for 'rosy'.

Other common names of Z. rosea include 'pink rain lily', 'pink fairy lily', 'pink magic lily', 'pink zephyr lily', 'rain flower', and 'rose rain lily'.[14] [15] [16] It is also commonly known as duende rojo ('red dwarf') and leli de San Jose in Spanish;[2] and rosafarbene and Windblume in German.

Zephyranthes rosea is one of the two Zephyranthes species known as the 'pink rain lily'. The other species is Zephyranthes carinata, usually referred to incorrectly as Zephyranthes grandiflora. Z. carinata is often mislabeled as Z. rosea by merchants.[17] Z. carinata can be distinguished from true Z. rosea by their much larger flowers with a deeper pink coloration.[18] [19] [20] Z. rosea also has 24 chromosomes in diploid somatic cells, in contrast to 48 in Z. carinata.[21]

Another similar species known under the same common names is Zephyranthes robusta. They can be differentiated from Z. rosea by having paler pink and larger flowers.

Distribution and habitat

Zephyranthes rosea is native to Peru and Colombia. It is widely planted in warmer regions around the world and is reportedly naturalized in Florida, India, the West Indies, many of the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans[22] They are common in recently disturbed land and grassy areas (like lawns and meadows) that receive periodical rainfall.[6] [7] [23]

Uses

Zephyranthes rosea are usually propagated by dividing clumps of bulbs, but can also be grown from seeds. They are widely cultivated as ornamental plants.[4] They are relatively low-maintenance, becoming dormant during extended periods of drought. They are less tolerant of colder temperatures than other species of Zephyranthes, however.

In India, they are also used in folk medicine, along with Zephyranthes flava.[24]

Toxicity

The bulbs of Z. rosea, like other members of Zephyranthes and Habranthus, contain various toxic alkaloids including lycorine and haemanthamine.[25] They can cause vomiting, convulsions, and death to humans, livestock, and poultry.[26]

Pests and diseases

Pests of Z. rosea include chewing insects. They are also vulnerable to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea.[27]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kirti Mathura. The Arizona Low Desert Flower Garden: A Seasonal Guide to Bloom, Height, Color, and Texture. Gibbs Smith. 2007. 134. 978-1-58685-896-4.
  2. Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez. Mark T. Strong. amp. 2005. Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. 52. 1–415. Smithsonian Institution. August 7, 2011. June 27, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090627092506/http://botany.si.edu/Antilles/PRFlora/monocots/vol52web.pdf. dead.
  3. Web site: Zephyranthes rosea Lindl.. Hortus Camdensis. August 7, 2011.
  4. Book: Stuart Max Walters. The European Garden Flora: Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae, Angiospermae. Cambridge University Press. 1986. 294. 978-0-521-24859-4.
  5. José Luis Fernández-Alonso. Jeroen P. Groenendijk. amp. 2004. A New Species of Zephyranthes Herb. S. L. (Amaryllidaceae, Hippeastreae), with Notes on the Genus in Colombia. Rev. Acad. Colomb. Cienc.. 28. 107. 177–186. 0370-3908. August 7, 2011. October 1, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111001060544/http://www.accefyn.org.co/revista/Vol_28/107/177-186.pdf. dead.
  6. Book: Rita Buchanan . Roger Holmes . amp . Taylor's Master Guide to Gardening. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2001. 521. 978-0-618-15907-9.
  7. Book: David W. Nellis. Poisonous plants and animals of Florida and the Caribbean. Pineapple Press Inc.. 1997. 7. 978-1-56164-111-6.
  8. Web site: Zephyranthes rosea Lindley, Bot. Reg. 10: plate 821. 1824. . Flora of North America, eFloras.org. August 7, 2011.
  9. Web site: Zephyranthes rosea (Spreng.) Lindl., Bot. Reg. 10: t. 821 (1824). Flora of Australia Online, Australian Biological Resources Study. August 7, 2011. October 26, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121026094721/http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/online-resources/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=55586. dead.
  10. Web site: Hippeastreae. Pascal Vigneron. Amaryllidaceae.org. August 9, 2011. October 24, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081024095533/http://www.amaryllidaceae.org/Hippeastreae.htm. dead.
  11. Web site: Zephyranthes rosea. College of Micronesia – FSM. August 7, 2011.
  12. News: The Rain Lily. Types of Lilies. August 7, 2011. March 7, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120307131626/http://www.typesoflilies.com/rain_lily/rain_lily.html. dead.
  13. Web site: Flowers of the West Wind: Rain Lilies. Bobby J. Ward. www.bobbyjward.com. August 7, 2011. May 6, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120506070343/http://www.bobbyjward.com/articles/mexican_transplant.htm. dead.
  14. Web site: Zephyranthes rosea Lindl. – Cuban zephyrlily. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database. August 7, 2011.
  15. Web site: Zephyranthes rosea . Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants, Institute for Systematic Botany. August 7, 2011.
  16. Web site: Rose Rain Lily. Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage. August 7, 2011.
  17. Web site: Zephyranthes grandiflora. Gay Gardener. August 7, 2011. February 2, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130202004858/http://www.gaygardener.com/gardenspot/bulbs022.phtml. dead.
  18. Book: William Lanier Hunt. Southern Gardens, Southern Gardening. Duke University Press. 1992. 57. 978-0-8223-1223-9.
  19. Web site: Zephyranthes grandiflora Lindl. . Zanthan Plant Profile. August 7, 2011.
  20. Web site: Zephyranthes grandiflora Lindl. . Hortus Camdenensis. August 7, 2011.
  21. Puangpaga Soontornchainaksang. Kanyarat Chaiyasut. amp. 1996. Cytogenetic study of Some Thai Species of Flowering Plants. Thai For. Bull. (Bot.). 24. 50–61. August 7, 2011. March 16, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120316105307/http://web3.dnp.go.th/botany/PDF/TFB/TFB24/TFB24_3Cytogenetic.pdf. dead.
  22. Web site: Zephyranthes rosea Lindl.. Discover Life. August 7, 2011.
  23. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=292012 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  24. Lucie Cahlíková. Irena Valterová. Kateřina Macáková. Lubomír Opletal. amp. 2010. Analysis of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids from Zephyranthes grandiflora by GC/MS and their cholinesterase activity. Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy (Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia). 5. 8. 1201–1204. Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia. 0102-695X. August 7, 2011. October 13, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121013071020/http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbfar/2011nahead/aop8711.pdf. dead.
  25. Julia F. Morton. 1962. Ornamental Plants With Toxic And/Or Irritant Properties. II.. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. 75. 484–491. Florida State Horticultural Society. August 7, 2011. March 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120320213747/http://www.fshs.org/Proceedings/Password%20Protected/1962%20Vol.%2075/484-491%20(MORTON).pdf. dead.
  26. Gary W. Knox. 2005. Rainlily, Zephyranthes and Habranthus spp.: Low Maintenance Flowering Bulbs for Florida Gardens. Enh1151. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, University of Florida. August 7, 2011 .
  27. Edward F. Gilman. 1999. Rainlily, Zephyranthes spp. Fact Sheet FPS-621. IFAS Extension, University of Florida. August 7, 2011 .

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