Hymenocallis / Ismene

J.E. Shields jshields@indy.net
Mon, 05 Jul 2010 05:29:50 PDT
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
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*************************************************
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


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