Hymenocallis

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Italic title}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{Fossil range |24.46 |0}}Late Oligocene – Recent<ref name = "Meerow et al., 2020" /> | name = Spider lily | image = Hymenocallis Caribaea.jpg | image_caption = ''Hymenocallis caribaea'' flower | taxon = Hymenocallis | authority = Salisb.<ref name="GRIN">{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?5931 |title=Genus: ''Hymenocallis'' Salisb. |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date=2010-01-27 |access-date=2014-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508061805/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?5931 |archive-date=2014-05-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="SALISBURY">{{cite journal |last1=Salisbury |first1=Richard Anthony |title=On the cultivation of rare plants |journal=Transactions of the Horticultural Society of London |date=1812 |volume=1 |page=338 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44162438}}</ref> |type_species = ''Hymenocallis littoralis'' |type_species_authority = (Jacq.) Salisb.<ref>lectotype designated by N. L. Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N.U.S. ed. 2. 1: 533 (1913)</ref><ref>[http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40029381 Tropicos, ''Hymenocallis'' Salisb.]</ref> | synonyms_ref = {{R|POWO}} | synonyms = *''Liriopsis'' Rchb. *''Choretis'' Herb. *''Nemepiodon'' Raf. *''Siphotoma'' Raf. *''Tomodon'' Raf. *''Troxistemon'' Raf. }}

'''''Hymenocallis''''' {{IPAc-en|ˌ|h|aɪ|m|ᵻ|n|ə|ˈ|k|æ|l|ɪ|s}}<ref>''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607</ref> (US) or {{IPAc-en|ˌ|h|aɪ|m|ɛ|n|oʊ|ˈ|k|æ|l|ɪ|s}}<ref name=JohnsonSmithStockdalev>{{Citation |last=Johnson |first=A.T. |last2=Smith |first2=H.A. |last3=Stockdale |first3=A.P. |year=2019|title=Plant Names Simplified : Their Pronunciation Derivation & Meaning |location=Sheffield, Yorkshire |publisher=5M Publishing |isbn=9781910455067 |name-list-style=amp }}, p. 76</ref> (UK) is a genus of flowering plants in the Amaryllidaceae family native to the Americas.<ref>{{citation |last=Stevens |first=P.F. |title=Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Amaryllidoideae |url=http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/orders/asparagalesweb.htm#AllAma }}</ref>

''Hymenocallis'' contains more than 60 species of herbaceous, bulbous perennials native to the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Some species are cultivated as ornamentals in warm nations around the globe, and a few have become naturalized in parts of Africa and on various tropical islands.<ref name="POWO"/> Many of the species from the Caribbean and from the southeastern United States inhabit wet areas such as marshes, streambanks, and seashores. Some species even have floating seeds. Some of the Mexican species, in contrast, grow on grassy slopes in hills and mountains.<ref name=RHSAZ>{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}}</ref>

The flower stalks arise from basal rosettes of strap-shaped leaves. The terminal clusters of fragrant flowers are green, white or yellow, and can be large and spectacular. The genus name is derived from the Greek words ''ὑμήν'' (''hymen''), meaning 'membrane', and ''καλός'' (''kalos''), meaning 'beautiful'. It refers to the membranous tissue connecting the basal part of the stamens which forms shallow cup. The effect is of a spidery daffodil or lily, thus explaining the common name '''spider lily'''.<ref name=RHSAZ />

==Taxonomy== The genus ''Hymenocallis'' was created by Richard Anthony Salisbury in 1812,<ref name=POWO/> when he separated out a number of species formerly placed in ''Pancratium'', starting with ''Hymenocallis littoralis''. The main reason for the separation was that the fruits have only two seeds in each locule. Salisbury explained the name as referring to the "beautiful membrane which connects the filaments."{{R|SALISBURY}}

===Species=== [[File:Texas Spiderlily -- Hymenocallis acutifolia.jpg|thumb|Texas spiderlily – ''Hymenocallis liriosme'']] {{As of|2026|01}}, Plants of the World Online accepts the following 67 species:<ref name="POWO">{{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:327249-2 |title=''Hymenocallis'' Salisb. |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |year=2026 |access-date=16 January 2026}}</ref>

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em| *''Hymenocallis acutifolia'' {{small|(Herb. ex Sims) Sweet}} *''Hymenocallis araniflora'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis arenicola'' {{small|Northr.}} *''Hymenocallis astrostephana'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis azteciana'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis baumlii'' {{small|Ravenna}} *''Hymenocallis bolivariana'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis caribaea'' {{small|(L.) Herb.}} *''Hymenocallis choctawensis'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis choretis'' {{small|Hemsl.}} *''Hymenocallis cleo'' {{small|Ravenna}} *''Hymenocallis clivorum'' {{small|Laferr.}} *''Hymenocallis concinna'' {{small|Baker}} *''Hymenocallis cordifolia'' {{small|Micheli}} *''Hymenocallis coronaria'' {{small|(Leconte) Kunth}} *''Hymenocallis crassifolia'' {{small|Herb.}} *''Hymenocallis durangoensis'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis duvalensis'' {{small|Traub ex Laferr.}} *''Hymenocallis eucharidifolia'' {{small|Baker}} *''Hymenocallis fragrans'' {{small|(Salisb.) Salisb.}} *''Hymenocallis franklinensis'' {{small|Ger.L.Sm., L.C.Anderson & Flory}} *''Hymenocallis gholsonii'' {{small|G.Lom.Sm. & Garland}} *''Hymenocallis gigantiflora'' {{small|Meerow}} *''Hymenocallis glauca'' {{small|(Zucc.) M.Roem.}} *''Hymenocallis godfreyi'' {{small|G.L.Sm. & Darst}} *''Hymenocallis graminifolia'' {{small|Greenm.}} *''Hymenocallis guatemalensis'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis guerreroensis'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis harrisiana'' {{small|Herb.}} *''Hymenocallis henryae'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis howardii'' {{small|Bauml}} *''Hymenocallis imperialis'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis incaica'' {{small|Ravenna}} *''Hymenocallis jaliscensis'' {{small|M.E.Jones}} *''Hymenocallis latifolia'' {{small|(Mill.) M.Roem.}} *''Hymenocallis leavenworthii'' {{small|(Standl. & Steyerm.) Bauml}} *''Hymenocallis lehmilleri'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis limaensis'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis liriosme'' {{small|(Raf.) Shinners}} *''Hymenocallis littoralis'' {{small|(Jacq.) Salisb.}} *''Hymenocallis lobata'' {{small|Klotzsch}} *''Hymenocallis longibracteata'' {{small|Hochr.}} *''Hymenocallis maximiliani'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis multiflora'' {{small|Vargas}} *''Hymenocallis occidentalis'' {{small|(Leconte) Kunth}} *''Hymenocallis ornata'' {{small|(C.D.Bouché) M.Roem.}} *''Hymenocallis ovata'' {{small|(Mill.) M.Roem.}} *''Hymenocallis palmeri'' {{small|S.Watson}} *''Hymenocallis partita'' {{small|Ravenna}} *''Hymenocallis phalangidis'' {{small|Bauml}} *''Hymenocallis pimana'' {{small|Laferr.}} *''Hymenocallis portamonetensis'' {{small|Ravenna}} *''Hymenocallis praticola'' {{small|Britton & P.Wilson}} *''Hymenocallis proterantha'' {{small|Bauml}} *''Hymenocallis pumila'' {{small|Bauml}} *''Hymenocallis pygmaea'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis rotata'' {{small|(Ker Gawl.) Herb.}} *''Hymenocallis ruenesiana'' {{small|J.J.Ancona, J.Tun & J.J.Ortiz-Diaz}} *''Hymenocallis schizostephana'' {{small|Worsley}} *''Hymenocallis sonorensis'' {{small|Standl.}} *''Hymenocallis speciosa'' {{small|(L.f. ex Salisb.) Salisb.}} *''Hymenocallis tridentata'' {{small|Small}} *''Hymenocallis tubiflora'' {{small|Salisb.}} *''Hymenocallis vasconcelosii'' {{small|García-Mend.}} *''Hymenocallis venezuelensis'' {{small|Traub}} *''Hymenocallis woelfleana'' {{small|T.M.Howard}} *''Hymenocallis ximixtlanensis'' {{small|J.Jiménez Ram., Cruz Durán & E.García-Gran.}} }}

;Formerly included Numerous names have been coined for species once considered members of ''Hymenocallis'' but now regarded as better suited to other genera. Most of the species are native to South America. Such genera include ''Clinanthus'', ''Eucharis'', ''Ismene'', ''Leptochiton'' and ''Pancratium''. Below are some examples of these species:<ref name=POWO_Hymenocallis>{{Cite web |title=Search for 'Hymenocallis' |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Hymenocallis |access-date=2024-03-17}}</ref> {{Columns-list|colwidth=30em| * ''Hymenocallis amancaes - Ismene amancaes'' * ''Hymenocallis andreana - Leptochiton quitoensis'' * ''Hymenocallis bonplandii - Eucharis bonplandii'' * ''Hymenocallis calathina - Ismene narcissiflora'' * ''Hymenocallis caroliniana - Pancratium maritimum'' * ''Hymenocallis hawkesii - Ismene hawkesii'' * ''Hymenocallis heliantha - Leptochiton helianthus'' * ''Hymenocallis lacera - Pancratium maritimum'' * ''Hymenocallis longipetala - Ismene longipetala'' * ''Hymenocallis macleana - Ismene pedunculata'' * ''Hymenocallis maritima - Pancratium maritimum'' * ''Hymenocallis morrisonii - Ismene morrisonii'' * ''Hymenocallis narcissiflora - Ismene narcissiflora'' * ''Hymenocallis nutans - Ismene nutans'' * ''Hymenocallis pedunculata - Ismene pedunculata'' * ''Hymenocallis quitoensis - Leptochiton quitoensis'' * ''Hymenocallis ringens - Ismene ringens'' * ''Hymenocallis ruizii - Pancratium maritimum'' * ''Hymenocallis sublimis - Ismene sublimis'' * ''Hymenocallis tenuifolia - Leptochiton quitoensis'' * ''Hymenocallis vargasii - Ismene vargasii'' * ''Hymenocallis velardei - Ismene longipetala'' * ''Hymenocallis virescens - Ismene pedunculata'' * ''Hymenocallis viridiflora - Clinanthus viridiflorus'' }}

==Phylogeny== It is closely related to ''Ismene'', to which it shared a common ancestor 26.14 million years ago. It is the sister group to ''Leptochiton'', from which it separated 24.46 million years ago.<ref name = "Meerow et al., 2020">Meerow, A. W., Gardner, E. M., & Nakamura, K. (2020). [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.582422/full "Phylogenomics of the Andean tetraploid clade of the American Amaryllidaceae (subfamily Amaryllidoideae): unlocking a polyploid generic radiation abetted by continental geodynamics."] Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 582422.</ref>

{{clade |label1=Hymenocallideae |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''Hymenocallis'' 100px |2=''Leptochiton'' 100px }} |2=''Ismene'' 100px }} }}

==Cultivation==

Most ''Hymenocallis'' must be grown in a warm greenhouse or in a sheltered sunny spot where the ground does not freeze. The North American species ''H. occidentalis'' is found as far north as southwestern Indiana where winters can reach {{convert|0|F|C|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=BONAP's North American Plant Atlas |url=http://www.bonap.org/BONAPmaps2010/Hymenocallis.html |publisher=The Biota of North America Program |access-date=7 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628105915/http://bonap.org/BONAPmaps2010/Hymenocallis.html |archive-date=28 June 2013 }}</ref> They like good drainage and grow well in a soil rich with organic matter. The following species and hybrids are found in cultivation:-<ref name=RHSAZ /> {{div col|colwidth=22em}} *''H. caribaea'' *''H. harrisiana'' *''H. littoralis'' *''H.'' × ''macrostephana''<ref name="RHS">{{cite web |title=Hymenocallis × macrostephana |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/40852/hymenocallis-macrostephana/details |website=Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=16 March 2026}}</ref> *''H. speciosa'' {{div col end}}

==See also==

* List of plants known as lily

==References== {{Commonscat}} {{Wikispecies}} {{Reflist}}

Category:Hymenocallis Category:Amaryllidaceae genera Category:Taxa named by Richard Anthony Salisbury