Hymenocallis / Ismene

Jacob Knecht jacobknecht@gmail.com
Mon, 05 Jul 2010 05:42:02 PDT
Jim's point is important.  Sometimes the taxonomic shuffling can seem
unremarkable to the non-botanist horticulturist, but in the case of Ismene
vs. Hymenocallis, the disticntion is not only significant on a morphological
or molecular level but also on a geographical and climatic level.  Ismene
are from various altitudes within the Andes Mountain range while
Hymenocallis range covers the US South, Caribbean and Meso America.

I am sure anyone gardening in say Louisiana will freely volunteer that the
climate is not very similar to Cusco, Peru.  This may account for why Ismene
amancaes or its hybrids aren't as easy to grow as other Hymenocallis in the
US South?

Jacob Knecht


----------
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/morabeza79/


On 5 July 2010 05:29, J.E. Shields <jshields@indy.net> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Thad Howard notes in his book that Alan Meerow resurrected the genus Ismene
> in about 1990 for the Andean species that were for some years included in
> Hymenocallis.  Alan is one of the most authoritative experts on New World
> Amaryllidaceae, KAVB's 1991 opinions notwithstanding.
>
> Note that carribaea and occidentalis are members in good standing of
> Hymenocallis.
>
> Jim Shields
>
>
>
> At 07:21 AM 7/5/2010 -0400, you wrote:
>
>> The International Checklist for Hyacinths and Miscellaneous Bulbs, KAVB,
>> 1991 edition:
>>
>> Hymenocallis 'Sulphur Queen' - narcissiflora (Jacq.) J.F. Macbr. x
>> amancaes (Ruiz Lopez & Pavon) Nicholson
>> Tubergen, 1830; flowers primrose-yellow, 6 per umbel, throat light yellow
>> with green stripes. (2n=74)
>> F.C.C.-R.H.S. 1927
>>
>> Ernest Chabot in his "How to Grow Rare Greenhouse Plants," published in
>> 1952, lists I. carribaea, winter flowering; I. occdentalis,
>> spring-flowering; I. festalis. He then goes on to mention that "Several
>> named varieties are also available. Sulphur Queen has light yellow blooms of
>> rare beauty."
>>
>> Interesting from an historical perspective, while 'Sulphur Queen' is not
>> mentioned in John C. Wister's "Bulbs for American Gardens," published in
>> 1930, on page 209ff. in the chapter on tender bulbs he mentions Hymenocallis
>> . . .  includes Ismene and goes on briefly "Some of them, macrostephana,
>> speciosa, and caribea, are winter blooming, and should be treated like
>> Crinums. They need a warm temperature and should be rested in the summer.
>> Other species such as calathina, Harrisiana, Macleana, rotata and
>> littoralis, require a cooler temperature but still greenhouse and they bloom
>> in the spring and summer and rest in the winter. A few like lacera and
>> galvestonensis are hardy in the Southern States and bloom in the spring."
>> All of which perhaps indicates that this wide range of Hymenocallis / Ismene
>> were to some extent available.
>>
>> Judy in New Jersey where the La Nina summer has settled in with sunshine,
>> high temperatures, and no rain
>> _______________________________________________
>> pbs mailing list
>> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
>> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php
>> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/
>>
>
> *************************************************
> Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5             Shields Gardens, Ltd.
> P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
> Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
> Tel. ++1-317-867-3344     or      toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> pbs mailing list
> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php
> http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/
>


More information about the pbs mailing list