Amazing Amaryllis

Jim McKenney jamesamckenney@verizon.net
Thu, 30 Jan 2014 09:29:05 PST
In looking at the PBS wiki images of Hippeastrum, I noticed in the text for H. yungacense the statement " plant sold as Hippeastrum yungacensis 'Kiara' which we assume may have been an error in spelling as Hippeastrum yungacensis does not seem to be a recognized name. "

It's not an error in spelling; nor is the name an unrecognized name. The plant in question was once known as Amaryllis yungacensis; the word Amaryllis is feminine in gender and so the associated species name gets the feminine form of the adjectival ending:  -ensis.  The word Hippeastrum is neuter in gender so the associated species name gets the neuter form of the adjectival ending, -ense. 

With so many name changes taking place, and since this is such a commonly used suffix, it's good to keep in mind that for masculine and feminine genera, the -ensis ending is used for associated species names; for neuter genera the -ense ending is used for the associated species names. 

Another example: the commonly grown Aster laevis 'Bluebird' is now usually called Symphyotrichum leave 'Bluebird'. 

Jim McKenney
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where the temperature might get above the freezing point today.



On Thursday, January 30, 2014 11:57 AM, Nhu Nguyen <xerantheum@gmail.com> wrote:
  
Hi Ann,

What an amazing plant! It's long-lived history is most impressive. I think
it's a pure species, Hippeastrum petiolatum.

Best,
Nhu



On Wed, Jan 29, 2014 at 12:26 PM, David Pilling <pbs@pilling.demon.co.uk>wrote:

> The PBS had message from Ann Patterson, a couple of weeks ago about her
> plant which has been flowering since 1924. The message was copied to the
> list.
>
> She has provided the photos on this wiki page:
>
> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…
>




More information about the pbs mailing list