Rainlily

Description

Zephyranthes insularum, common name rainlily, is a bulbous flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, native to Cuba and reportedly naturalized in Florida and in parts of Mexico. Zephyranthes insularum is a small bulb-forming perennial no more than 30 cm tall. Flowers are trumpet-shaped, white to very pale pink. Zephyranthes insularum H.H.Hume ex Moldenke (i.e. the species named by Hume) is accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as a distinct species. Zephyranthes insularum auct. non Hume (i.e. a name applied by some authors other than in the sense intended by Hume) is a synonym of Zephyranthes puertoricensis. Zephyranthes is a genus of temperate and tropical plants in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, native to the Western Hemisphere and widely cultivated as ornamentals. Following the expansion of the genus in 2019, which now includes the genera Habranthus and Sprekelia, there are about 200 recognized species, as well as numerous hybrids and cultivars. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily, Atamasco lily, and rain lily. The name is derived from (Zephyrus), the Greek god of the west wind, and (anthos), meaning flower, referring to the slender stalks. Species in the genus which are listed in this article vary in morphology. Along with floral morphology, characteristics such as bulb size, bulb tunic color, and leaf morphology help identify individual species. Foliage in the wild is often ephemeral, but under cultivation becomes more persistent. Leaf color ranges from the bright grassy green of Z. candida (shown in the photo) to rather broad glaucous colored foliage such as found in Z. drummondii. A few of the species have distinct bronze tints in the foliage when grown in bright light. Size of leaves in these species, ranges from dark green and tiny grassy leaves in species like Z. jonesi or Z. longifolia, to broader, glaucous leaves in species like Z. drummondii. Perhaps largest leaves of all is found on Z. lindleyana from Mexico, usually distributed as a cultivar called 'Horsetail Falls,' this species has handsome broad leaves almost like a Hippeastrum. Flower color in the species ranges from white to yellow (various tints of this color from lemon to sulfur) and pink. Zephyranthes have erect flower stalks which support a flower that may be upward facing or slightly nodding.