Crinum

Crinum
File:CrinumAugustumKeyWest.JPG
Crinum augustum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Amaryllidoideae
Subtribe:	Crininae
Genus:	Crinum L.
Species
About 180 species, see text.

Crinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found in seasonally moist areas, including marshes, swamps, depressions and along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide.

Crinum leaves are basal, typically long and strap-shaped, with colors ranging from light green to green.

Several species are used in aquariums.

Cytological studies have shown some 27 species of Crinum to be diploid with a normal chromosome count of 2n = 22. Abilio Fernandes found that the Orange River Crinum bulbispermum had a count of 2n = 66, and some desert Crinum macowanii 2n = 44. These polyploid species produce seeds that are often parthenogenetic triploid or diploids, lack vigour and seldom grow to mature plants.

In Hawaiʻi Crinum augustum (or Crinum amabile var augustum) is known as the Queen Emma Lily.

Species

Main article: List of Crinum species

As of July 2014, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families lists 105 species of Crinum. Amongst these are:

• Crinum americanum L. – Southern Swamplily, Seven Sisters
• Crinum asiaticum L. – Poisonbulb
• Crinum bulbispermum (Burm.f.) Milne-Redh. & Schweick. – Hardy Swamplily
• Crinum latifolium L.
• Crinum moorei Hook.f.
• Crinum pedunculatum R.Br., syn. C. asiaticum var. pedunculatum – Swamplily, River Lily or Spider Lily
• Crinum thaianum Schulze – Onion plant

Formerly placed here

• Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmanns. (as C. africanum L.)
• Ammocharis heterostyla (Bullock) Milne-Redh. & Schweick. (as C. heterostylum Bullock)
• Cyrtanthus angustifolius (L.f.) Aiton (as C. angustifolius L.f.)
• Cyrtanthus elatus (Jacq.) Traub (as C. speciosum L.f.)
• Cyrtanthus obliquus (L.f.) Aiton (as C. obliquum L.f.)
• Hippeastrum argentinum (Pax) Hunz. (as C. argentinum Pax)
• Urceolina urceolata (Ruiz & Pav.) Asch. & Graebn. (as C. urceolatum Ruiz & Pav.)

Hybrids

• × Amarcrinum hybridised with Amaryllis
• C. × powellii (garden hybrid between C. bulbispermum and C. moorei) - pale pink, fragrant, lily-like flowers produced in late summer
  • C. × powellii 'Album' (white flowered cultivar)

Gallery

• Crinum moorei close.jpg

  Crinum moorei

• Crinum moorei whole.jpg

  Crinum moorei at Strybing Arboretum, San Francisco

• Crinum ornatum MS 1724.jpg

  Crinum ornatum, SW Burkina Faso

• Crinum species W IMG 1103.jpg

  Crinum species in Hyderabad, India

• Queen Emma Lily (a0003184).jpg

  Queen Emma Lily (Crinum augustum or Crinum amabile var augustum) in Hawaiʻi

External links

• Pacific Bulb Society Crinum Page, includes links to photographs
• Crinums In East Texas: Notes From Marcelle Sheppard, includes links to photographs, cultural information, and hybridizing results
• Bulbsociety
• The Genus Crinum
• African Crinums
• Bulb Society
• Juniper Level Botanic Garden Crinum Photo Gallery

• Crinum in West African plants – A Photo Guide.