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poison bulb, tree crinum

Ceylon swamplily

Bulbs

25 cm or more × 10–12 cm.

12–15 cm diam., neck short.

Leaves

numerous, 10 dm or more × 7.5–12 cm;

blade ensiform, gradually tapering to apex.

several, 5–10 dm × 3–5 cm;

blade lorate.

Scape

stout, 2-edged.

to 7.5 dm or more.

Umbels

20–100-flowered.

8–12-flowered.

Flowers

perianth white, salverform, tube 3–7.5 cm, limb lobes linear, 7.5 × 1–1.5 cm;

pedicel 1–2 cm.

sessile;

perianth white with broad purplish-red keels (most pronounced adaxially), funnelform, tube 7.5–15 cm, limb lobes oblong-elliptic, 7.5–18 × 1–2 cm.

Capsules

to 5 cm diam., beak long.

not seen at maturity, globose, beak 8–10 cm.

Seeds

warty.

Crinum asiaticum

Crinum zeylanicum

Phenology Flowering summer–fall. Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Wet areas Fields, wasteplaces, wet areas
Elevation 0–100 m (0–300 ft) 0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; LA; tropical Asia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; LA; tropical Asia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Crinum asiaticum is a robust and highly variable species that is distinguished by its very broad leaves. The bulb is reputed to be poisonous.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Crinum zeylanicum is extensively cultivated outdoors in the lower Gulf coastal plain.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 279. FNA vol. 26, p. 279.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Crinum Liliaceae > Crinum
Sibling taxa
C. americanum, C. bulbispermum, C. zeylanicum
C. americanum, C. asiaticum, C. bulbispermum
Synonyms Amaryllis zeylanica, C. latifolium var. zeylanicum
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 292. (1753) (Linnaeus) Linnaeus: Syst. Nat. ed. 12, 2: 236. (1767)
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