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Hymenocallis (From hymen a membrane)
(from hymen, a membrane, and kallos, beauty; referring to the membranous cup inside the flower). Including Choretis and Ismene. ORD. Amaryllideae. A genus containing about a score species of stove or greenhouse bulbous-rooted plants, from North and South America and the West Indies. Flowers white, in umbels, very fragrant; perianth tube straight, elongated, scarcely widened at the throat. Leaves usually persistent, lorate. Many species usually classed in gardens under this genus are Pancratiums. The stove species require a strong, loamy soil, well drained, and a liberal allowance of pot-room. The bulbs should be buried just below the surface of the soil, and they must always be kept moist, more especially during the summer. The best of the stove kinds is H. macrostephana, which is as useful and beautiful as the Eucharis. The greenhouse species thrive under the above treatment, except that during their resting period (winter) they should be kept dry. A few kinds, which are known in gardens as Ismenes, may be grown in the open border, if sheltered from cold winds, and well drained; but it is only in very favoured situations, in England, that these plants prove satisfactory when grown altogether out of doors. They may, however, be planted out during the summer, and be taken up, and placed in sand, in a shed or frame, for the winter. H. adnata (adhering-leaved). fl. white, with narrow perianth segments, and a deep wavy corona; disposed in umbels. May. l. rather broad. h. 1ft. South America, 1758. The variety littoralis is a handsome greenhouse plant, with pure white flowers 3in. to 4in. long, and resembling a Giant Trumpet Narcissus. (B. M. 2621.) H. Amancaes (Amancaes). fl. corolla bright yellow, large, nutant, salver-shaped; tube green downwards, yellow upwards; segments linear-lanceolate, narrow, distant, stellately expanded; scape compressed, ancipital, even. l. reticulately veined, downwards fistularly sheathing for about half the length of the scape. h. about 2ft. Chili and Peru. Greenhouse. (B. M. 1224, under name of Pancratium amancaes.) H. amaena (charming).* fl. sweet-scented; tube green-white, remainder of the flower white. October. l. six to eight, 10in. long, paler beneath, with a thick fleshy midrib. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Guiana, 1790. Stove. (B. M. 1467, under name of Pancratium amaenum.) H. Andreana (Andre's). fl. white, on slender one-flowered scapes, shorter than the leaves; perianth tube green, cylindrical, erect, 4 1/2in. to 5in. long, curved at the top; limb white; segments linear, 3 1/2in. to 4in.long; corona broadly funnel-shaped, nearly 3in. long, 3in. to 4in. at the throat, with green stripes. l. linear, pale green, glabrous. h. 1 1/2ft. Ecuador, 1876. (R. H. 1884, 468; Gn. xxv. 454, under name of Ismene Andreana.) H. Borskiana (Borski's) fl. white, with a very thin transparent corona, seven in an umbel. April. l. dull green, 2 1/2ft. long. h. 1ft. La Guayra, 1845. Stove.
H. calathinum (basket-flowered).* fl. white, exceedingly fragrant, about 3in. long, expanding in succession with intervals of from ten to fourteen days; tube and upper part of style green. March and April. l. fistularly sheathing, few, two-ranked, striate-nerved, obtuse. Brazil, 1796. Greenhouse. (B. M. 1561, under name of Pancratium calathinum.) H. Choretis (Choretis). fl., tube long, green; limb white; corona white, rotate, with a jagged border; scape three-flowered August. l. strap shaped, erect, glaucous, about 2 1/2in. wide and 6in. long. h. 1ft. Mexico, 1837. Stove. SYN. Choretis glauca.
H. expansa (expanded). fl. sessile, obsoletely three-cornered, pale green 4 1/4in. long; segments linear. November. l. linear-lanceolate, striated. h. 2ft. Native country unknown. Stove. (B. M. 1941, under name of pancratium expansum.) H. Harrisiana (Harris's). fl. white; tube very long and slender, surmounted by six very narrow-linear white segments, and with a cup-shaped corona from whose border project six green stamens at equal distances; umbels few-flowered. June. l. sessile. h. 1ft. Mexico, 1838. Greenhouse. (B. M. 6562.) H. Macleana (McLean's). fl. white; perianth yellowish, marked with green; tube slender; limb and style exceeding the corona. June. l. broad, arching, deep green. h. 2ft. Lima, 1837. Greenhouse, nearly hardy. For an account of this plant and its allies, and their uses by the Peruvians, see Stewart's "Visit to the South Seas," or the long extract from that work given in the "Botanical Magazine," 1xv. (B. M. 3675, under name of Ismene Macleana.) H. macrostephana (large-crowned).* fl. white, with a green tube, about 3in. long, sweet-scented; umbel six to eight-flowered. February. l. broad-lanceolate, 2 1/2ft. to 3ft. long. h. 2ft. 1879. Stove. (B. M. 6436.) H. rotata (rotate). fl. white; segments of perianth linear-lanceolate; corona spreading, closely toothed; scape two-edged, ten to twelve-flowered, longer than the leaves. May. l. linear-oblong, streaked. h. 1 1/2ft. Florida, 1803. Greenhouse. (B. M. 827, under name of Pancratium rotatum.) H. speciosa (showy).* fl. pure white, very fragrant, especially in the evening; scape shorter than the leaves, compressed, ancipital. l. very dark green, from 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, and from desirable stove plant. (B. M. 1453, under name of Pancratium speciosum.) H. tenuifolia (narrow-leaved). fl. white; corona large, funnel-shaped, nearly as long as the linear perianth segments; scape two-edged, one-flowered. June. l. linear. h. 9in. Ecuador, 1878. A beautiful greenhouse species. (B. M. 6397, under name of Ismene tenuifolia.) H. virescens (greenish). fl. greenish; tube of perianth about equal to the segments; sepals and petals ovate. June to August. l. green, rather erect, acute, sheathing at the base. h. 1ft. Cusoo, 1840. Greenhouse (B. R. 1841, 12, under name of Ismene virescens.)