Hymenocallis (Spider Lilies)

Juniper Level Botanic Garden - An Ex-Situ Conservation Garden

Our Mission is to Collect, Study, Propagate, and Share

As of 2020, JLBG has just over 27,000 taxa of living plants, making the collection one of the most diverse in the world. Fundraising for an operational endowment to preserve the garden is underway, administered by NC State University. If you'd like to help preserve the gardens and plant collections for future generations, you can do so with a tax-deductible contribution at JLBG.org and click on the Donate Link.

At Juniper Level Botanic Garden, part of our mission is to educate and share both plants and information. This photo/informational gallery is devoted to cataloging as many forms as possible. It is our hope that this photographic study gallery can also prevent duplicate use of names and prevent confusion in the trade.

In 2021, we were able to rescue the extensive Victor Lambou hymenocallis collection, which now makes the hymenocallis collection at JLBG, the most extensive in the world. As of 2022, our collection contains 126 clones of 33 species, and 52 hybrid clones, for a total of 179 taxa.

Genus History

Hymenocallis are members of the Amaryllidaceae family, which includes many other familiar plants including hippeastrum, zephyranthes, nerines, and lycoris. 

The genus hymenocallis was split from Linnaeus's genus, Pancratium (1753) by Salisbury in 1812. It originally consisted of 7 species, six, which were formerly pancratium, and one new species. The name Hymenocallis means "beautiful membrane".  Two Linnaen names were omitted including Pancratium mexicanum (Bauml 1979).

In 1821, Herbert published the first full description for the new genus Hymenocallis. Several other works followed: The Amaryllidaceae (Herbert 1837), Synopses Monographicae (Roemer 1847), Enumeratio Pantarum (Kunth 1850), Amaryllideae (Baker 1888), Hymenocallis (Sealy 1954), (Traub 1962). 

In 1962, Traub include 4 subgnera in the genus Hymenocallis, which have since been elevated to genus status. Those include: Ismene, Elisena, Pseudostenomesson, and Hymenocallis. There are currently (2022), 68 valid species in the genus Hymenocallis.

Hymenocallis Species

Any species below in red indicates this name is now considered an invalid synonym.

Hymenocallis acutifolia (Sweet 1830)(Mexico; Chiapas, Jalisco, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Tamaulipas)

• phylogeny:
• habitat: streamside
• plant habit:
• foliage: 1m/40" long, evergreen
• flowers: vanilla fragrance, last species to flower August to October (Howard)
• seed:

Hymenocallis araniflora (T. Howard 1990)(Mexico; Sinaloa, Nayarit)

• phylogeny:
• habitat:
• plant habit: solitary
• foliage: erect fountain of wide, strap-shaped glaucescent leaves (T. Howard)
• flowers: 4-8 flowers in early-summer, recurved tepals
• seed:

Hymenocallis arenicola (Northrop) (Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica, West Indies)

• phylogeny:
• habitat:
• plant habit:
• foliage: 
• flowers: 
• seed:

Hymenocallis astrostephana (Howard 1981) (Mexico; Guerrero)

• phylogeny:
• habitat:
• plant habit:
• foliage: costate leaves
• flowers: 2-5 long-tubed flowers, small 6-pointed cups
• seed:

Hymenocallis azteciana (Traub 1967) (Mexico; Jalisco, Nayarit)

• phylogeny: related to H. phalangidis, H. leavenworthii
• habitat: black loam in shaded woods, 3300' to 7500' elevation, occasionally grows with H. howardii south of Tepic.
• plant habit: deciduous, non-offsetting
• foliage: glaucous/glaucescent leaves 3-5, sessile, oblong, 9.3 cm long x 8.3 cm wide; similar to H. glauca or H. porterantha; sub-petiolate leaf base; in foliage, looks similar to H. glauca or H. proterantha.
• flowers: fragrant, small cupped flowers in early June to mid-July, scape 63cm tall, 9 flowers; curved and atypically expanded tepal tubes; S-shaped tepal tubes, flower held @ 45 degrees; filaments winged beyond cup rum
• seed: hybridizes in situ with H. proterantha

Hymenocallis baumlii (Ravenna 1979)(Mexico; Vera Cruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas)

• phylogeny:
• habitat: pastures, roadside ditches, lower slopes (Howard)
• plant habit:
• foliage: erect green strap-shaped leaves; 20-33 cm long x 1.9-2.5 wide, 7 leaves
• flowers: 36-46 cm long scape, 4-8 ribbon-like flowers in early/mid summer
• seed:

Hymenocallis bidentata (Small 1933)(Alabama)

• phylogeny: synonymized into H. occidentalis var. occidentalis with H. moldenkana (G. Smith etal. 2010)

name invalid due to improper description...photo didn't match plant

Hymenocallis bolivariana (Traub 1967) (Carica, Monagas, Venezuela)

• phylogeny:
• habitat:
• plant habit: evergreen
• foliage: wide, strap-shaped leaves
• flowers: 8 flowers
• seed:

Hymenocallis caribaea (Linnaeus/Ker-Gawler/Herbert)(Antigua, Barbados, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Matinique, Puerto Rico, St. Croix)

• phylogeny:
• habitat:
• plant habit: evergreen
• foliage: 
• flowers: 8-10 fragrant flowers in mid-summer
• seed:

Hymenocallis caroliniana (Herbert 1821) (KY, LA, MO, IN, GA, AL)

• phylogeny: synonymized with H. eulae, galvestonensis, moldenkeana (Smith etal. 2010)
  • Howard considered this the correct name for H. occidentalis
  • unable to determine id from Catesby's description and drawing (Smith etal 2003)

Hymenocallis caymanensis (Herb. 1837)(Cayman Islands)

• phylogeny: synonym of H. latifolia (Sealy 1954)

Hymenocallis chiapasiana (T. Howard 1979)(Mexico; Chiapas highlands)

• phylogeny: similar to H. choretis; syn: H. cleo
• habitat: Rocky outcrops @ 6000' elevation
• plant habit: deciduous
• foliage: 3-5 leaves, glaucous, petiolate to sub-petiolate, 30cm long x 2.5-4.5 cm wide
• flowers: May/June, 1-2 per scape, sweet scent, flowers 1 month earlier than H. choretis
• seed: 2 ovules

Hymenocallis choretis var. choretis (Hemsl. 1884)(Traub 1962) Mexico: Morelos, Nayarit)

*phylogeny: (synonym of H. glauca)

Hymenocallis choretis var. oahacensis (Traub 1962) Mexico: Puebla

*phylogeny: (synonym of H. glauca)

Hymenocallis choctawensis (Traub 1962)(FL, Walton Co., GA)

*phylogeny: clade with franklinensis, gholsenii, pygmaea, crassifolia, duvalensis

*habitat: grows with H. liriosme in very moist sites

*plant habit: deciduous, rhizomatous

*foliage: shiny green leaves coraceousoblanceolate, deciduous

*flowers: 2-12, fragrant, later to open than H. franklinensis (Smith etal. 2010)

*seed: ovules 1-3

*sister to franklinensis (Smith etal 2010)

Hymenocallis collieri (Small 1933)(Florida)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. latifolia

Hymenocallis concinna (Baker 1893)(Mexico; Jalisco western, Hidalgo southern, Zacatecas, Michoacan)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. pringlei 1904; H. dillenii 1954; H. mexicana 1962; closely related to H. durangoensis

*habitat: 3300-6800' elevation on rocky hillsides/slopes; grows with H. glauca in Michocan (Bauml 1979)

*plant habit: deciduous, rarely offsetting, small plant

*foliage: 3-6 erect glaucous/glaucescent subpetiolate leaves, linear to narrowly oblong

*flowers: multiple flower scapes of small white flowers with short out-curving tubes (Howard); tepal tubes <5cm; cup occasionally rotate; faint sweet odor of chlorine bleach

*seed:

*chromosome: 2n=54, 58, 60, 63, 70, 72, 76,78, 84,88

Hymenocallis cordifolia (Micheli 1899) (Mexico; Guerrero W @ 1500')

*phylogeny: closest relative is H. woelfleana and H. euchardifolia

*habitat: on cliffs, seasonally dry

*plant habit: deciduous

*foliage: 4 shiny green deciduous, thin leaves; oblong, petiolate with pale yellow broad midrib; 20-30cm long x 12-17 cm wide

*flowers: 7-12 sub-sessile flowers; yellow pollen (Howard); filaments solid green; 42 cm scape; tepal tubes green at base; pure white funnelform cup; flowers mid-May to mid-June in cultivation

*seed:

*chromosome: 2n=46

Hymenocallis coronaria (Le Conte/Kunth 1850)(NC, Gaston Co., SC,GA, AL)

*phylogeny: published as Pancratium coronarium; sister of liriosme (G. Smith etal 2010)

*habitat: only grows on gravel bars in moving water

*plant habit: deciduous clump former without stolons

 *foliage: leaves linear

 *flowers: flower has yellow eye in corona 

*seed: ovules 1-3

Hymenocallis crassifolia (Herbert 1821)(NC-FL) 

Named as Pancratium crassifolium

*phylogeny: clade with choctawensis, franklinensis, gholsenii, pygmaea, duvalensis (G. Smith etal. 2010); similar to H. franklinensis (A. Davis)

same as Pancratium rotatum var. biflorum (Smith etal 2003)

*habitat: ditches, stream margins, rivers, bogs, brackish marshes

*plant habit: deciduous, rhizomatous

*foliage: shiny leaves, coriaceous, suberect, >1cm wide

*flowers: 2-3 per scape, fragrant

*seed:

Hymenocallis declinata (Jacq/Sweet)(Bahamas, Bermuda, Cuba, Puerto Rico, St. Croix)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. caribaea (Gawl)

Hymenocallis dillenii (Sealy 1954)

phylogeny: synonym of H. concinna

Hymenocallis disciformis (Roemer. 1847)

*phylogeny; synonym of H. rotata

Hymenocallis dryandri (Sweet) Mexico: Vera Cruz

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis durangoensis (T. Howard 1978)(Mexico, Durango S. Central)

*phylogeny: related to H. concinna

*habitat: rich black soils, summer moist flood plains/winter dry (Howard)' 

*plant habit: deciduous, tight clumps, offsetting, dark brown bulb tunics

*foliage: 4-8 sessile erect spiraled linear, sessile lvs, erect, shiny bright green,25-40 cm long x 2.5cm wide 

*flowers: scape 25-40cm with 4-12 flowers of outfacing umbels in early summer;  tepal tubes <5cm; occasionally rotate cup, pure white

*seed:

Hymenocallis duvalensis (Traub 1967)(FL, Alachua Chatham, Escambia, Duval Cos. and GA south central)

*phylogeny: synonymized with H. galvestonensis with H. franklinensis, gholsenii, liriosme) Smith 2010; 1967 Traub broke this out of H. rotata

*habitat: streams/swamps/floodplains

*plant habit: deciduous, stoloniferous

*foliage: 3-4 lvs, 20" long x 1" wide, deep green, low arching, almost prostrate

*flowers: 2 flower/scape; smaller than H. rotata, fragrant, April - June

*seed: 2-4 ovules

Hymenocallis eucharydifolia (Baker 1884) (Mexico;  Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Nayarit, Sinaloa)

*phylogeny: near H. choretis (T. Howard 1978)

*habitat:

*plant habit: deciduous, clumper

*foliage: 6-8 decumbent, subpetiolate leaves, late to emerge

*flowers: 3-5 flowers in late May; 3 ovaries (Howard 1978)

*seed:

Hymenocallis eulae (Shinners 1951)(Texas, Oklahoma)

aka: H. occidentalis var. eulae (Smith & Garland 2003)

*phylogeny: clade with H. choctawensis, franklinensis, gholsenii, pygmaea, crassifolia

Smith etal. 2010); Smith 2010 thinks original plants of H. galvestonensis designated H. liriosme after examining original specimen.

Howard 1994 pointed out that Shinners H. eulae was the same as Herbert's H. galvestonensis and that Shinners never examined Drummond's original specimen. All plants of H. eulae are H. galvestonensis (T. Howard 1994)

*habitat: piney woods, often near seepage slopes

*plant habit: deciduous, upright glaucous leaves/clumper

*foliage:

*flowers: late July/early August without foliage

*seed:

Hymenocallis expansa (Herb)(Bermuda, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Croix)

*phylogeny: related to H. caymanensis and H. caribaea (T. Howard)

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage: evergreen

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis floridana (Rafinesque 1838)(FL)

*phylogeny: synonymized with H. rotata (Smith etal 2010)

Hymenocallis fragrans (Salisbury)(Barbados, Jamaica, St. Cahterine's)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage: evergreen

*flowers: fragrant flowers in fall; sub-sessile stalked flowers

*seed:

Hymenocallis franklinensis (Smith/Flory 2001)(FL, Franklin County, lower central panhandle, Cow Creek/Bear Creek)

*phylogeny: clade with H. choctawensis, gholsenii, pygmaea, crassifolia, duvalensis (G. Smith etal. 2010); synonymized as H. galvestonensis along with H. duvalensis, gholsenii, liriosme (G. Smith etal. 2010)

*habitat: stream banks, river drainage basins

*plant habit: deciduous, rhizomatous

*foliage: leaves narrow, 3-5 ct., much more coriaceous than H. duvalensis

*flowers: flowers late June/early July, earlier than H. choctawensis; flower and bracts much more robust than H. crassifolia (Smith)

*seed:

Hymenocallis galvestonensis (Baker/Herbert 1837)(Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida)

*phylogeny: synonymized with H. duvalensis, franklinensis, gholsenii, liriosme (G. Smith etal. 2010); similar to H. eulae (T. Howard)

Originally published by Herbert under the genus Choretis

correct name for H. eulae (Howard 1994)

correct name for H. moldenkana (V. Lambou 2003)

Dorman 1961 says H. eulae and H. galvestonensis are different species

*habitat: well drained acidic sandy loam

*plant habit: deciduous

*foliage: 8 glaucous leaves (Herbert)

*flowers: round scape, flowers without foliage in late summer, 4 flowers per scape, scape 9-11 inches

*seed:

Hymenocallis gholsenii (Smith/Garland 2009)(Florida panhandle)

*phylogeny: clade with H. choctawensis, franklinensis, pygmaea, crassifolia, duvalensis (G. Smith etal. 2010)

*habitat:

*plant habit: deciduous

*foliage:

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis glauca (M.J. Roem 1847)(Mexico: Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla)

*phylogeny: previously known as Pancratium glaucum; resembles H. proterantha

*habitat:dry deciduous tropical scrub forest in sem-shade @ 3600-5600' where it grows with H. concinna north of Arteaga, Michoacan (Bauml 1979); grows with H. harrisiana south and west of Chilpancingo, Guerrero (Bauml 1979)

*plant habit: deciduous, solitary clump, rarely offets, late to emerge

*foliage: 2-5 sub-petiolate, oblong, glaucous leaves

*flowers: 1-6 flowers/scape, large cups with yellow/green center in early summer; rotate staminal cup; circle of green/yellow at interior base

*seed: shiny, light/med green

*chromosomes: 2n=42, 84

Hymenocallis godfreyi (Smith/ Darst 1994)(Florida, Wakulla Co.)

*phylogeny: clade with H. rotata, H. tridentata (G. Smith etal 2010); synomyized as H. humilis along with H. palmeri

*habitat: seasonally flooded prairies, brackish marshes

*plant habit: deciduous, rhizomatous from basal plate

*foliage: leaves 15" long x 1" wide; yellow-green, coracious, suberect, channeled, strap-like 

*flowers: 2 flowers/scape, March-May

*seed: 2n=48; 4 ovules

Hymenocallis graminifolia (Greenman 1903)(Mexico: Morelos)

*phylogeny:

*habitat: along railroad tracks and open pastures @ 4400'

*plant habit: deciduous, small plant <1' tall (Howard)

*foliage: 5-6 narrow glaucous, sessile leaves

*flowers: 1-4 (max. 6) small fragrant flowers in early July with large cups(Howard);  tepal tubes <5cm; white rotate staminal cup; rounded flower scape

*seed:

*chromosomes: 2n=46,60

Hymenocallis guatemalensis (Traub 1967)(Guatemala)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers: 5-7 in early April

*seed:

Hymenocallis guerreroensis (T. Howard 1978)(Mexico, Guerrero central)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit: deciduous, non-offsetting

*foliage: 3-5 lvs, glaucous, linear-elliptic/sessile; 26-35cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide

*flowers: 1-4 in early May (Howard); upper 1/4 of tepal tube white; rotate staminal cup; filaments entirely green

*seed: smooth, shiny, light green

chromosomes: unknown

Hymenocallis guianensis (Ker/Herb)(St. Kitts, Trinidad)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. tubiflora (Salisbury)

 Hymenocallis harrisiana (Herbert 1840)(Mexico: Morelos central, E. Michoacan through S, N, and E. Mexico, and south into central Guerrero @ 3100' - 8000' elevation.

*phylogeny: Pancratium mexicanum (Linnaeus 1753) is a synonym; Bauml (1979) says that H. harrisiana of the Dutch bulb trade is not actually correct, and appears to be an un-named species. Also known as Pancratium carribaeum (1753); Hymenocallis milleri (1847); Hymenocallis dillenii (Roem/Sealy 1954); Hymenocallis mexicana (1907)

*habitat:

*plant habit: deciduous, offsetting bulbs

*foliage: 2-4 (8) erect, dull glaucescent, upright petiolate, narrowly oblong leaves, late to emerge; folded leaf margin

*flowers: 1-3 (6) in early July; 2 scapes per bulb; max 6 flowers per glaucescent scape; tepals green dorsally; cup occasionally subrotate; faint sweet fragrance

*seed: dull light green

*chromosomes: 2n=30, 44,76, 86, 87, 88, 92

Hymenocallis henryeae (Traub 1962) (Florida, Gulf, Bay, Liberty, and Walton Co.)

*phylogeny: sister of H. palmeri (G. Smith etal. 2010..strongly supported)

*recognizes var. henryae and var. glaucifolia

*habitat: cypress drainage, wet pine flatwoods

*plant habit: deciduous, clumping

*foliage: glaucous blue green

*flowers: flower scape bracts that do not cover flowers, fragrant, pale green, 2-3 per scape

*seed: 2n=38

Hymenocallis horsmannii (Baker 1888)(Mexico: Jalisco, Nayarit, Vera Cruz)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. glauca (M.J. Roem.)

Hymenocallis howardii (Bauml 1989)(Mexico: Jalisco/Nayarit)

*phylogeny: closest relative is H. proterantha...flowers are indistinguishable; H. howardii is sessile and narrower; also similar to H. sonoroensis.

*habitat: grows in large colonies alogn roadsides and open fields and scattered in woodlands; occastionally with H jaliscensis north of Tepic, Nayarit (Bauml 1979); grows with H. azteciana south of Tepic, Nayarit (Bauml 1979).

*plant habit: deciduous

*foliage: 5-7 (9), erect, narrow, sessile, glaucous leaves

*flowers: lightly scented, short-tubed white flowers in late June -early August; tepals pale green dorsally

*seed:

*chromosom6es: 2n=86,89,94,104

Hymenocallis humulis (Watson)

*phylogeny: very similar to H. palmeri (Flory 1978); synonymized with H. godfreyi, palmeri (G. Smith etal. 2010)

 

Hymenocallis imperialis (Howard 1990) (Mexico, Southeastern Mountains)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit: clumper

*foliage: to 5" wide, glaucescent

*flowers: fragrant in early summer...zigzag style; 2 scapes per bulb

*seed:

Hymenocallis jalicensis (ME Jones 1933)(Mexico: Hidalgo, Jalisco)

*phylogeny: confused with H. nayaritiana, treated by Traub (1962) and Traub/Cickery (1956) as a synonym of H. coccinea, is a valid species (Bauml 1979)

*habitat: Grows with H. howardii north of Tepic, Nayarit in margins/clearings in deciduous woodlands from 2000'-4000' elevation

*plant habit: deciduous, non-offsetting, very dwarf

*foliage: 3-5 leaves, glaucescent, subpetiolate, oblong, prostrate foliage 1.7-3.5 (5.2) broad x 2.7-4.5 (6cm) long.

*flowers: 1-2 scapes/bulb from mid-to-early July; Flowers 1-8, sessile with faint sweet scent; tepal tubes green lower half/white above; white funnelform cup

*seed: dark green velvety

*chromosomes: 2n=88

Hymenocallis kerseyi (Howard 1999)(Mexico, central Guerrero)

*phylogeny: 

*habitat: streamside

*plant habit: smaller, but similar to H. riparia

*foliage: erect narrow leaves

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis keyensis

*phylogeny: synonym of H. latifolia

Hymenocallis kimballiae (Small 1958) (FL, Appalachicola River)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. latifolia

has different chromosome #s from H. latifolia (Howard)

Hymenocallis lacera (Salisbury 1897)

synonym of H. rotata

Hymenocallis laciniata (Small 1933)

synonym of H. rotata

Hymenocallis latifolia (Roemer 1847)(FL Keys, Cuba, Grand/Little Caymans, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Thomas)

*phylogeny: H. caymanensis merged here (Sealy 1954); formerly Pancratium latifoilum (Miller)

*habitat: coastal dunes, sand ridges, swales, mangrove swamps

*plant habit: clumping, offsetting

*foliage: evergreen, 40" long x 2.5" wide

*flowers: 9-15 per scape June-September, fragrant, reflexed perianth rays, only southeastern species with orange pollen

*seed: 2n=48

Hymenocallis leavenworthii (Standley & Streyermark 1946/Bauml 1989)(Mexico: Michoacan Central/West)

*phylogeny: similar to acutifolia

*habitat: open pastures or pine/oak woodland banks from 4500' - 7900'

*plant habit: deciduous, prolifically offsetting bulbs

*foliage: 1-2 (4) dull glaucous, petiolate, narrowly oblong leaves; 3.8-5.7 cm long x 2.8 - 3.7 cm wide.

*flowers: 2- 6 sessile flowers/scape; fragrant, small cup from late July - Mid August, tepal tubes, lower 1/3 green, above white, cup pure white, funnelform

*seed: dark green, broadly oblong

Hymenocallis lehmilleri (T. Howard 2001)(Mexico, Guerrero)

*phylogeny: 

*habitat: swampy swales on coastal side of highway

*plant habit:deciduous

*foliage: 6-8 suberect glossy strap-like leaves; 38-41 cm long x 3-4 cm wide

*flowers: 4-7 greenish-white flowers on scape 30-38 cm tall, late June

*seed:

Hymenocallis liriosme (Rafinesque 1817)(Shinners 1951)(TX, LA, AL)

*phylogeny: synonymized as H. galvestonensis with H. duvalensis, franklinensis, gholsenii, liriosme (G. Smith etal. 2010); sister to H. coronaria (G. Smith etal 2010)

Described by Rafinesque as Pancratum liriosme

Baker included H. liriosme with galvestonensis in error (Howard 1994)

*habitat: ditches, marshes, wet soil

*plant habit: deciduous clump former without stolons

*foliage: shiny green, acute erect leaves

*flowers: 4-7 flowers with yellow eye like H. coronaria, first species to flower March/April with foliage (Howard); scape 2 edged

*seed: 2n=40/42

Hymenocallis littoralis (Jacq./Salisbury)(Mexico: Michoacan, Oaxaca)???

*phylogeny: syn: adnata

*habitat:riparian, but seasonally dry

*plant habit: 

*foliage: deciduous or evergreen; glaucous to glossy green

*flowers: fragrant long-tubed flowers, orange pollen, 1 to many flowered umbel; scapes 1-3 per bulb

*seed:

*This is the type specimen for the Genus (1812)

Hymenocallis longibracteata (Hochreutina)(Mexico: Vera Cruz)

*phylogeny: 

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis maximiliani (T. Howard 1982) (Mexico; Guerrero)

*phylogeny:

*habitat: grows in creek beds around Chilpancingo and coastal roadsides in open pastures on black clay soils of seasonally wet flood plains.

*plant habit: deciduous clumps offset rapidly, similar to H. acutifolia (Howard)

*foliage: leaves 6-8, bright green, narrowly acute

*flowers: scape two-edged 41-58cm; late May through June, flower smaller than H. acutifolia

*seed:

Hymenocallis mexicana (Herbert 1821 ex. Druce)(Mexico: Hidalgo, Michoacan, San Luis Potosi)

*phylogeny: (syn: dillenii, concinna, palusvirensis)

Hymenocallis miniatum (Herbert) (Peru)

*phylogeny: 

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers: red flowers

*seed:

Hymenocallis moldenkeana (Traub 1962) (GA)

*phylogeny: synonymized with H. galvestonensis including H. caroliniana, eulae, galvestonensis (G. Smith etal. 2010)

Eastern version of H. galvestonensis (T. Howard)

 

Hymenocallis nayaritiana (T. Howard 1978)(Mexico, Nayarit)

*phylogeny:

*habitat: hillsides where it grows with H. horsmanni (T. Howard)

*plant habit: deciduous, small plant

*foliage: broad petiolate/subpetiolate foliage (Howard)

*flowers: early May (T. Howard), 1 month before H. horsmanni; few flowers

*seed:

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. eulae

Smith etal. views this as the proper name for H. eulae

In our side by side comparison, H. eulae (Center Tx), H. occidentalis (Walker Co. AL), and H. occidentalis St. Marks, FL opened the same day, both without foliage

*Floral tube of H. eulae had small hairs on back of tube that were not present on H. occidentalis (Alabama), but were present on H. occidentalis (FL)

*Floral tube of H. eulae was 4.75" compared to 3.5" for H. occidentalis (Al), and 4.125" for H. occidentalis (FL)

*Ovary on H. eulae was longer (.5" long x 5/16" wid) and narrower than H. occidentalis (3/8" x 3/8"), and 3/8" x 3/8" on H. occidentalis (FL)

*tepal length was 3.75" on all three specimens

*floral pedicel identical on all three specimens

*cup in H. eulae (TX) was nearly flat, H. occidentalis FL was also flat, while H. occidentalis (AL) was very funnel shaped

*stigma was held outside the orbit of the stamens on H. eulae, and inside the stamens on H. occidentalis (AL), and just on the inside of the stamens on H. occidentalis (FL)

*fragrance from all three was identical

*all three had small green eye in the middle of floral cup

*cup length 1.25" on all three specimens 

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis (Le Conte 1850)(AL, AR, GA, FL, IL, IN, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN)

*phylogeny: originally published as Pancratium occidentale; synomyized with H. bidentata, moldenkiana (G. Smith etal. 2010) 

*habitat: most widely distributed of all US native hymenocallis in floodplains, meadows, and dry wooded hillsides

*plant habit: deciduous, tight clump

*foliage: 5-12 slightly glaucous, dull foliage, emerging in late winter

*flowers: 3-9 fragrant flowers with no foliage in late July/early August

*seed: ovules 2-3 2n=52/54

Hymenocallis ovata (Mill/Sweet)(Mexico: Oaxaca)???(Cuba)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers: short-tubed flowers

*seed:

Hymenocallis ovata var. ornata (MIll/Sweet)(West Indies)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis palmeri  (S. Watson 1879)(Florida, Dade Co., disjunct in NE FL)

*phylogeny: synonymized into H. humilis along with H. godfreyi (Smith etal. 2010); sister to H. henryi (G. Smith etal. 2010)

*habitat: ditches, marshes, wet prairies

*plant habit: deciduous, clumping, miniature

*foliage: blue green, coriaceous, erect, linear 20" long x .3" wide

*flowers: 1-2 flowers/scape; flower scape bracts that do not cover flowers, green tepals; late May-August

 *seed: 8-9 ovules; 2n=42/46/48

Hymenocallis paludosa (Salisbury 1812)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. rotata

Hymenocallis palusvirensis (Traub 1962)(NC)

*phylogeny: synonymized with H. crassifolia (G. Smith etal. 2010)

related to H. caroliniana (T. Howard)

*flowers: 4-5 flowers; 2n=40 

Hymenocallis partita (Ravenna 1985)(Mexico, Chiapas)

*phylogeny: actaully a rain-damaged specimen of H. acutifolia (T. Howard)

*habitat:

*plant habit: clumping, offsetting

*foliage:

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis pedalis (Herbert 1821)(Mexico: Vera Cruz, Central America)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage: evergreen, strap-like, acute tips

*flowers: 6-15 funnel-like, long-tubed flowers all summer

*seed:

Hymenocallis phalangidis (Bauml 1989)(Mexico; Nayarit, Central)

*phylogeny: related to H. azteciana, but with longer tepals

*habitat: shade

*plant habit: deciduous

*foliage: 4 glaucous, sessile, linear leaves

*flowers: 1-2 (6), outfacing, very fragrant from late June-late July; S-shaped tepal tubes, flower held @ 45 degrees; recurved, pendulous tepals; white funnelform cup

*seed: dark green, shiny

Hymenocallis pimana (Laferriere 1990) (Mexico; Chihuahua)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit: deciduous

*foliage: erect, narrow, spiraled, glossy green leaves

*flowers: large flowers with yellow center, remniscent of H. liriosme in early summer

*seed:

Hymenocallis portamontensis (Ravenna)

*phylogeny: synonym of H. tenuifolia (T. Howard)

Hymenocalis praticola (Britton/Wilson) (Cuba)

*phylogeny: synonymized with H. crassifolia (G. Smith etal. 2010)

Hymenocallis pringlei (1904)

*phylogeny: synonymized with H. concina

Hymenocallis proterantha (Bauml/Howard 1979)(Mexico: Colima, Jalisco Southeast, Nayarit south)

*phylogeny:

*habitat: open low ground and on steep road cuts with grasses/forbs from 600-2700' elevation

*plant habit: deciduous, offsetting bulbs

*foliage: 2-5 (7) petiolate/subpetiolate, glaucous, narrowly oblong leaves

*flowers: 3-10 (12) white flowers with light sweet scent from early July-mid August as leaves go dormant; 2-3' tall, glaucous scape; floral bracts light green to greenish white; funnelform white cup

*seed: dark green, shiny

*chromosomes: 2n=76, 80

Hymenocallis pumila (Bauml/Howard 1979)(Mexico: Colima East, Jalisco)

*phylogeny:

*habitat: well-drained

*plant habit: deciduous, miniature

*foliage: 5-8 bright green sword-like, sessile leaves, prostrate foliage

*flowers: 1-3 (max. 6) large, sweetly scented sessile flowers with a small cup on a short scape from early June - mid July; tepals pale green dorsally; strongly recurved tepals; occasionally rotate cup; circle of green/yellow at interior base; funnelform/rotate white cup

*seed:

Hymenocallis puntagordensis (Traub 1962) (Florida, Charlotte Co.)

*phylogeny: possibly evolved from tropical species

*habitat: seasonally flooded prairies

*plant habit: clumping

*foliage: 5-8 shiny green, coriaceous, suberect, strap shaped 

*flowers: fragrant; late August/September

*seed: 2n=46

Hymenocallis pygmaea (Traub 1962)(NC, SC, Waccamaw River drainage)

*phylogeny: clade with H. choctawensis, franklinensis, gholsenii, crassifolia, duvalensis (G. Smith etal. 2010); similar to H. crassifolia (A. Davis)

*habitat: wet

*plant habit: deciduous, rhizomatous

*foliage: shiny green, strap shaped, coracious leaves, upright, 16" long x .5" wide

*flowers: single-flowered

*seed:

Hymenocallis repanda (Otto & Diet)(Mexico: Sinaloa)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis riparia (Greenman 1905)(Mexico: Michoacan, Morelos, Guerrero, Sinoloa)

*phylogeny:

*habitat: Marshes and swamps, low wet meadows, fast moving streams

*plant habit: similar to H. acutifolia

*foliage:

*flowers: mid-July, months earlier than H. acutifolia

*seed:

Hymenocallis riposa (Greenman)(Mexico: Morelos)

*phylogeny: 

*habiitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis rotata (Ker Gawl 1821)(FL,GA,SC)

*phylogeny: forms clade with H. godfreyi, tridentata (G. Smith etal. 2010); synonymized with H. floridana (Smith etal 2010

*habitat: always grows in calcareous streams (per A. Davis).

 *plant habit: deciduous, very stoloniferous

*foliage: deep green, coriaceous, arching to sub erect, strongly-channeled, 30" long x 2" wide

*flowers: 2-4 per scape, only southeastern US species with broad staminal cups and perianth rays >9mm wide

*seed: 6-8 ovules; 2n=38/46/48

*cultivars: Wetsplit (V. Lambou)

Hymenocallis schizostephana (Worsley 1899)

*phylogeny: not a valid species (T. Howard)

 

Hymenocallis sinaloaensis (Traub 1967)(Mexico: Sinoloa)

*phylogeny: syn of H. sonoriensis (IBS 2007)

Hymenocallis sonorensis (Standley 1937)(Mexico: Sinaloa, Sonora to N. Nayarit)

*phylogeny: H. sinaloaensis is a synonym (Traub 1954)(Bauml 1979)

*habitat: meadows and low open places below 500' elevation, with H. howardii in the southern part of range

*plant habit: deciduous clumper, rarely offsetting

*foliage: 5-8 (10) glaucous, sessile, erect, narrow daffodil-like leaves

*flowers: small umbels of white flowers early March to late June, yellow floral base, 3-8 per scape, fragrant; tepals pale green ventrally; circle of green/yellow at interior base; filaments entirely green

*seed:

chromosomes: 2n=48

Hymenocallis speciosa (Salisbury)(Jamaica, Tobago, St. Vincent)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage: evergreen

*flowers: sub-sessile, stalked flowers

*seed:

Hymenocallis stenophylla (Urban/Fedde 1925)(Cuba)

*phylogeny: synonym of praticola

different, but similar to H. praticola (T. Howard)

*habitat: marshy savannas 

*plant habit:

*foliage:

*flowers: 5-6 flowers/scape in August

*seed:

Hymenocallis tenuiflora (Herbert)(Guatemala)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit:

*foliage: wide, decumbent leaves

*flowers: slender, fragrant w/green segments in early summer

*seed:

Hymenocallis traubii (Moldenke 1967)(Florida, Daytona Beach)  

*phylogeny: lumped H. tridentata here (G. Smith etal 2010); thought by some to be a dwarf form of H. rotata.

*habitat: near water

*plant habit: deciduous, stoloniferous, small plant

*foliage:

*flowers: 2-3 flowers

*seed: 4-5 ovules

Hymenocallis tridentata (Small 1933)(Florida, North and E Central)

*phylogeny: forms clade with H. godfreyi, H. rotata (G. Smith etal. 2010); synomomyzed into H. traubii (G. Smith etal. 2010)

Synonym of H. floridana (T. Howard)

*habitat: ditches, marshes, wet prairies

*plant habit: deciduous, rhizomatous

*foliage: less than 20" long

*flowers: 

*seed:

Hymenocallis tubiflora (Saulisbury)(S. America, Guyana)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit: similar to H. rotata but leaves are narrowly strapped

*foliage: evergreen, 

*flowers:

*seed:

Hymenocallis venezuelensis (Traub 1963)(Venezuela, Guarico state)

*phylogeny:

*habitat:

*plant habit: 

*foliage: evergreen, linear

*flowers: 5 flowers/scape in May

*seed:

 

Hymenocallis woelfleana (T. Howard 1978)(Mexico, Sinaloa)

*phylogeny: related to H. cordifolia (Howard)

*habitat: Western slope of Sierra Madre in Eastern Sinaloa, intermediate altitude in part shade under oaks/hardwoods along intemittent streams in gravelly/humus soils

*plant habit: deciduous, rarely-offsetting clump of orange bulbs

*foliage: 3-6 petiolate/sub-petiolate bright green, very thin, broad leaves; folded leaf margin

*flowers: scape 33 -58cm; 3-10 flowers/scape; yellow pollen; pedicle below ovary, musky-scented flowers sub-sessile; tepal tubes green; flowers late June-early July

*seed:

 The following species of Hymenocallis have since been moved to other genera:

Hymenocallis narcissiflora

Hymenocallis 

 

Hymenocallis hybrids

*Hispaniola - H. traubii x H. imperialis

*Invicta - H. traubii x imperialis

*New Lion - a H. carribea hybrid found in a Mexican cemetary by Thad Howard

*Pirate Queen - H. traubii x H. liriosme

*Wetmax (V. Lambou 2001) - H. maximilliana x H. impearalis 'Big Fatty'

Hymenocallis bigeneric hybrids

xIsmenocallis:

Hymenocallis harrisiana (hort) x Ismene narcissiflora (Woelfle)

 

 

Books and Important Taxonomic Papers on Hymenocallis are listed below:

Hymenocallis (Amaryllidaceae) in Texas, with a New Varietal Combination
Author(s): Gerald L. Smith and Walter S. Flory:  Novon, Vol. 11, No. 2 (Summer, 2001), pp. 229-232

The Phylogeny of the Southeastern United States Hymenocallis (Amaryllidaceae) Based on
ISSR Fingerprinting and Morphological Data: Authors: Catherine M. Bush, Dollie Rollins, and Gerald L. Smith: CASTANEA 75(3): 368–380. SEPTEMBER 2010 

Nomenclature of Hymenocallis Taxa (Amaryllidaceae) in Southeastern United States
Author(s): Gerald L. Smith and Mark A. Garland; Source: Taxon, Vol. 52, No. 4 (Nov., 2003), pp. 805-817

A Study of the Genus Hymenocallis (Amaryllidaceae) in Mexico; Master of Science Thesis; Author: James Anthony Bauml; August 1979

Key to the Subgenera, Alliances and Species of Hymenocallis ; Author: Hamilton Traub, The Amaryllis Year Book 1962

Chromosome Numbers for Several Species of Hymenocallis; Author: Walter S. Flory; Plant Life 1975

Cytology of Hymenocallis; Authors: Raina and Khoshoo, 1971

Known Distribution of Hymenocallis (Saulisbury) in North and Middle America and the West Indies; Author: Walter S. Flory; The Amaryllis Year Book 1978

Hymenocallis and other Spider Lilies; Author: Alberto Grossi; The Plantsman, December 2007

Hymenocallis of Mexico; Author: Worsley, 1902 

Bulbs for Warm Climates; Author: Thad Howard; June 2001

Garden Bulbs for the South; Scott Ogden; May 2013