Rauhia is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family with two to three species, only in seasonally dry, open woods and rocky slopes of the middle Maranon and Utcumbamba river valleys in Northern Peru at 1000-1500 meters. The genus, notable for its large and fleshy leaves is closely related to Eucrosia and Phaedranassa. Bulbs large, leaves annual, shortly and widely petiolate, ovate, very carnose, epidermis with mircopapillae, sometimes tessellated with silver when juvenile. Flowers green and numerous, seeds brown or black.
Rauhia decora has flowers with long curved stamens and two large round succulent evergreen leaves. Flowers resemble Eucrosia and look different from other species. This species needs to have shade or the leaves will get scorched. It is self fertile. Photos 1-3 by Alessandro Marinello of plants he is growing in Italy. The first is a picture of a flower taken April 2008 and the other two are of leaves. The last photo was taken by Colin Davis.
Rauhia multiflora (syn. Rauhia peruviana) is a summer grower that is dormant in winter. It may lose leaves then or retain some of them, but can be kept dry during that period. The first photo is of a three year old seedling, by Arnold Trachtenberg. The second photo is of a large planting of mature bulbs underneath the shade of Prosopis pallida at the Koko Crater Botanic Garden on O`ahu, Hawai`i taken in February 2007 by Jacob Knecht. The last photo was taken by Diana Chapman of the first bloom of a plant she is growing.
