Hippeastrum puniceum
Encyclopedia
Hippeastrum puniceum is a bulbous
perennial native to tropical regions of South America
although it has become naturalized elsewhere. Common names include Barbados lily, Easter lily, and amaryllis lily, although it is neither a lily nor a species of Amaryllis
.
Plants have 4–6 leaves, each of which is bright green, 30-60 cm long by 2.5-3 cm wide, strap-shaped (lorate) and tapers at the end to an acute apex. The leaves are not fully developed when the flowers appear (i.e. they are more or less hysteranthous). The flowers are borne in an umbel
on a stem (scape
) which is 40-60 cm tall. The umbel has lanceolate green bracts at its base. The petals, or more accurately tepal
s, are orange-red with paler bases. The lower two tepals are much narrower than the lateral ones.
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
perennial native to tropical regions of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
although it has become naturalized elsewhere. Common names include Barbados lily, Easter lily, and amaryllis lily, although it is neither a lily nor a species of Amaryllis
Amaryllis
Amaryllis is a small genus of flowering bulbs, with two species. The better known of the two, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape...
.
Plants have 4–6 leaves, each of which is bright green, 30-60 cm long by 2.5-3 cm wide, strap-shaped (lorate) and tapers at the end to an acute apex. The leaves are not fully developed when the flowers appear (i.e. they are more or less hysteranthous). The flowers are borne in an umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
on a stem (scape
Scape
In biology, the term scape may refer to:* The first segment of an insect antenna* A finger-like appendage of the epigyne of a female spider* Scape , a flowering stemScape may also refer to:...
) which is 40-60 cm tall. The umbel has lanceolate green bracts at its base. The petals, or more accurately tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s, are orange-red with paler bases. The lower two tepals are much narrower than the lateral ones.