Flowering Plant Families, UH Botany

The Amaryllidaceae are perennial herbs from a bulb with contractile roots, comprising 50 genera and 870 species. The leaves are alternate and more or less basal, simple, usually linear or lorate, flat, entire, parallel-veined, sheathing at base; stipules absent. The flowers are bisexual, often showy, actinomorphic to zygomorphic, usually in umbelloid cymes. The perianth consists of 6 distinct or connate petaloid tepals, sometimes with an adnate corona. The androecium consists of 6 stamens attached to the receptacle or adnate to the perianth tube; filaments free or connate, sometimes appendaged and forming a staminal corona. The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of 3 carpels, a single style, one capitate or 3-lobed stigma, and an inferior ovary with 3 locules, each containing several to numerous axile ovules. The fruit is a loculicidal capsule or sometimes a berry. The seed coat usually has a black or blue crust.

Crinum amabile, giant spider lily. These flowers have a very long, narrow perianth tube or epigynous zone that arises from the summit of the inferior ovary.

Crinum asiaticum, grand crinum. These flowers have a very long, narrow perianth tube or epigynous zone that arises from the summit of the inferior ovary.

Eucharis sp. Note the inferior ovary, umbellate inflorescence, and the crown formed by the androecium.

Griffinia rochae.

Hippeastrum cf. punicium, note inferior ovary and umbellate inflorescence.

Hippeastrum sp. The two plants with red-margined white flowers in the first photo are probably H. reticulatum. The others are probably hybrids.

Narcissus sp., daffodil, vic. Cheney, WA, 2002.

Hymenocallis littoralis, spider lily.

Phaedranassa sp. Note strong zygomorphy of the flowers, an uncommon trait in the family.

Zephyranthes citrina, yellow zephyr flower, roadside escape, north shore, O'ahu, Hawai'i. Dec. 2003.

Zephyranthes candida, fairy lily, rain lily, white zephyr lily.