Hymenocallis liriosme
Hymenocallis coronaria
Louisiana Marsh spider-lily, spiderlily, spring spiderlily, western marsh spider-lily
Cahaba-lily, shoals spider-lily
deciduous, 5–8, suberect, 3.2–8.5(–10.6) dm × 1.7–3.6 cm, highly coriaceous;
blade shiny green, liguliform to narrowly lanceolate, channeled, apex acute.
deciduous, 3–6, erect, (3.8–)5–9.5 dm × 1.5–4.5 cm, coriaceous;
blade prominently channeled proximally, becoming expanded and reflexed in distal 1/3, liguliform, apex acute.
3.6–6.8(–8.8) dm, 2-edged, glaucous;
scape bracts 2, enclosing buds, 4.5–8 × 1.5–2 cm; subtending floral bracts 3–4 cm × 5–10 mm.
4–12.5 dm, 2-edged, glaucous;
scape bracts 2, enclosing buds, 4–6.5 × 1.5–2 cm; subtending floral bracts 3.5–4 × ca. 1 cm.
(3–)5–12, opening sequentially, sweetly fragrant;
perianth tube green, 4.5–8(–10.5) cm;
tepals slightly ascending from base of corona, white, green-striped on keel, 6–9 cm × 4–8 mm;
corona white with prominent, yellowish green eye, becoming rotate, shortly tubulose proximally, 2–3.5 × 4–5 cm, margins between free portions of filaments wavy to coarsely dentate;
free portions of filaments inserted on flat sinal base, suberect, 1.5–3 cm;
anthers 1–2.3 cm, pollen yellow;
ovary subglobose, 1.2–1.8 cm × ca. 10 mm, ovules 2–3 per locule;
style green in distal 1/2, fading to white proximally, 10–17 cm.
3–7(–12), opening sequentially, fragrant;
perianth tube green, 4.5–7.5(–9) cm;
tepals ascending, white, tinged green at base, 6.5–10 cm × 5.5–9 mm;
corona white with prominent yellowish green eye, broadly funnelform to chalicelike, tubulose proximally, 4.5–7 × 5–8.5 cm, margins between free portions of filaments often with 2 prominent dentations;
free portions of filaments inserted on flat sinal base, incurved, white, 1–2 cm;
anthers 1–1.7 cm, pollen golden;
ovary ovoid, 1–1.8 cm × 5–10 mm, ovules 2–4 per locule;
style green in distal 1/3, fading into white, 11–18 cm.
subglobose, ca. 2 × 2 cm.
subglobose, 3 × 3 cm.
ca. 2 × 1.5 cm.
elongate, 2.5–4.3 × 1.2–2.1 cm.
nonrhizomatous, subglobose to ovoid, 4.5–6 × 5–6 cm;
basal plate 2–3 cm;
neck 3–5 cm;
tunic grayish brown.
nonrhizomatous, globose, 4–8 × 3.5–7.5 cm;
basal plate 1–2 cm;
neck 2.5–3.5 cm;
tunic brown.
= 40, 42.
= 44.
Hymenocallis liriosme
Hymenocallis coronaria
Hymenocallis liriosme has become a favorite for gardens west of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Its leaves are numerous, liguliform to narrowly lanceolate, highly coriaceous, and shiny green. The numerous, small, highly fragrant flowers with the center of the staminal corona having a prominent, yellowish green eye are characteristics useful in distinguishing this species from H. occidentalis (W. S. Flory 1950) and from H. choctawensis (R. Gooch and G. L. Smith 1994; G. L. Smith and N. C. Coile 1999).
Numerous herbarium specimens of Hymenocallis liriosme were identified by H. P. Traub as H. galvestonensis. However, close examination of Rafinesque’s original publication of Pancratium liriosme leaves no doubt that this earlier name does apply to this taxon and that therefore its epithet has priority.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Hymenocallis coronaria is under consideration for federal protection. It may be locally abundant in some places, but at other sites where it was once abundant, whole populations have been wiped out by dams (J. K. Small 1933; L. J. Davenport 1990b, 1996). The environments where populations still exist should be protected to ensure their continued existence.
Hymenocallis coronaria is one of the most magnificent plants in nature. In 1783 William Bartram was the first botanist to observe this species, as the “odoriferous Pancratium fluitans which almost alone possesses the little rocky islets” (W. Bartram 1791). His sighting was at the cataracts of the Savannah River, Augusta, Georgia. Distinguishing features are channeled leaves that may reach over a meter in length, and staminal coronas that are among the largest of the genus, being chalicelike at full anthesis. These characteristics make it highly desirable for cultivation in streams and brooks of our southern gardens.
There has been some confusion in the literature as to the identity of Hymenocallis coronaria (A. E. Radford et al. 1968). However, L. J. Davenport (1990) and G. L. Smith et al. (1990) have confirmed its distinctive characteristics and unique habitat. An interesting discovery by Davenport that H. coronaria seeds sink offers a mechanism for its local dispersion and establishment in favorable environments. Support for its inclusion with H. occidentalis in Traub’s Caroliniana Alliance has been provided by the production of viable F1 hybrids in a greenhouse cross between H. occidentalis (seed parent, 2n = 54) and H. coronaria (pollen parent, 2n = 44). As expected, the hybrids have 2n = 49 (D. B. Joye and G. L. Smith 1993), and after several years are still thriving in the High Point University greenhouse.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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