Zephyranthes
(from zephyros, the west wind, and anthe, a flower; a fanciful name given by Herbert). Flower of the West Wind; Zephyr Flower. Including Habranthus (in part) and Pyrolirion. ORD. Amaryllideae. A genus comprising nearly thirty species of pretty, stove, greenhouse, or hardy, bulbous plants, inhabiting the warmer parts of America; one species being found in Western tropical Africa. Flower always solitary in a spathaceous bract, which is entire or bifid at apex and tubular at base, pedicellate or rarely sessile, erect or slightly declinate; perianth pink, white, purplish, or yellowish, sometimes various-coloured in the same species, funnel-shaped, the tube very short or more or less elongated, enlarged above; lobes equal or slightly unequal, erecto-patent above; stamens affixed to the throat, equal, or three rather smaller; scape elongated, fistular. Leaves few, linear or loriform, appearing with or after the flowers. The species best known to gardeners are described below. The plants grow and flower in summer, and rest in winter. They should be grown in a sunny frame, or on a shelf in a greenhouse during warm weather. They must be protected from frost in winter; a dry shelf in a heated greenhouse or shed being the best position for them. Some of the kinds may be left outside if planted in a dry, sunny border. They require a compost of turfy loam, with a little rotten manure and sand; and should be repotted about every two years. Propagated by separating the offset bulbs; or by seeds, which are freely produced.
Z. Andersoni (Anderson's).* fl., perianth golden or copper-coloured, fuscous-reddish at base, striated outside, 1 3/8in. long; pedicel 1 1/2in. or more long; spathe divided above; scape reddish, 3in. to 4in. long. May. l. narrow-linear, acute, green or slightly glaucous, 5in. to 6in. long. Monte Video, 1829. Greenhouse or half-hardy. SYN. Habranthus Andersoni (B. R. 1345; L. B. C. 1677; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 70). Z. A. aureus and Z. A. cupreus have respectively golden and coppery flowers.
Z. A. texana (Texan). fl., perianth yellow; segments round, obtuse. SYN. Habranthus Andersoni texanus (B. M. 3596).
Z. Atamasco.* Atamasco Lily. fl., perianth white (when young, suffused with white, purple, or flesh-colour), the segments recurved, lanceolate, acute; scape terete, 6in. to 12in. long. May. l. linear, slightly succulent, channelled, glabrous, nearly 1ft. long. Virginia, &c., 1629. Hardy. (L. B. C. 1899.) SYN. Amaryllis Atamasco (B. M. 239).
Z. candida (white).* Peruvian Swamp Lily. fl. inodorous, erect, shortly pedicellate; perianth white, greenish at base, the segments sub-equal, ovate, obtuse, 1in. long; spathe purplish, much shorter than the pedicel; scape erect or declinate, longer or shorter than the leaves. September. l. fascicled, linear, flat, highly glabrous, fleshy, of a pleasing green, 2in. to 8in. long. Buenos Ayres, 1822. Greenhouse. (B. M. 2107; L. B. C. 1419.) SYN. Amaryllis candida (B. R. 724).
Z. carinata (keeled).* fl., perianth tube green, 3/4in. long, straight, the segments pink, 2in. long, obovate-oblong, acute, many-nerved; pedicel 1 1/2in. long, shorter than the tubular, bifid spathe; scape 1ft. high, glabrous, reddish at base. May. l. 5/16in. broad, channelled, keeled, green, reddish at base. Mexico, 1824. Half-hardy. (B. M. 2594; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 4.) Z. grandiflora is a form with pretty, blush flowers 3in. long. (B. R. 902 [the flower only; the leaves belong to another species].) Z. citrina (citron-yellow).* fl., perianth tube 1/3in. to 1/2in. long, the segments bright yellow, 1 1/2in. long, oblong, sub-acute, connivent; pedicel less than 1in. long; spathe short, tubular; scape 4in. to 5in. long, tinged with red-brown below. August. l. three or four, narrow-linear, bright green, about 1ft. long, 1/6in. broad, deeply channelled above, rounded below, reddish-brown towards the base. Tropical America. (B. M. 6605.) Z. concolor (one-coloured). fl., perianth pale green or sulphur-coloured, nearly regular, erect, the segments oblong, acute; spathe tubular, coloured, shorter than the pedicel. April l. erect, glaucescent. h. 1ft. Mexico, 1844. Greenhouse. SYN. Habranthus concolor (B. R. 1845, 54). Z. flava (yellow). fl. sessile; perianth of a beautiful pale golden-yellow, 3in. to 4in. long, the segments lanceolate, acute; spathe bifid, rather longer than the perianth tube; scape terete, in cultivation shorter than the leaves, longer and more robust in the wild state. May. l. one or two, linear, narrowed and recurved at apex, dark green, channelled. h. 1ft. Peru, 1833. Greenhouse. SYNS. Pyrolirion aureum (B. R. 1724), P. flavum.
Z. gracilifolia (slender-leaved). fl. pedicellate, erect, closing at night, inodorous; perianth rose-coloured, 1 3/8in. long, the tube green; pedicel 2in. to 2 1/2in. long; spathe tubular, cut at apex, 1 1/4in. long; scape 7in. to 8in. long, purplish at base. January. l. 1 1/2ft. long, very slender, sub-cylindrical, shining green, deeply channelled above. South America, 1821. Hardy. SYN. Habranthus gracilifolius (B. M. 2464).
Z. g. Boothiana (Booth's). fl., perianth pink, nodding; pedicel purplish; scape erect. l. glaucous-green, round and blunt at apex. Brazil, 1822. SYN. Habranthus gracilifolius Boothianus (B. R. 1967).
Z. grandiflora (large-flowered). A form of Z. carinata. Z. macrosiphon (large-tubed). fl., perianth bright rose-red, 2 1/4in. to 2 1/2in. long, the segments sub-erect, obovate, obtuse, about 1/2in. broad; pedicel about 1in. long; spathe two-valved, 1 1/2in. long; scape terete, about as long as the leaves. l. three or four, linear, 1ft. long, 1/4in. broad, bright green, rather fleshy, shallowly channelled. Mexico, 1881. Z. mesochloa (half-green). fl., perianth green below, white above, red externally, 1 3/4in. long, the tube very short, the outer segments 1/2in. broad, the inner ones narrower, all acute; pedicel about 1in. long; spathe fenestrate or divided at apex; scape 7in. long. June. l. eight or nine, green, channelled, acute. Buenos Ayres, 1825. Half-hardy. (B. R. 1361.) Z. pumila (dwarf). fl., perianth rose-coloured, drooping, the segments spreading; scape short. September. l. narrow. chili, 1831. Greenhouse. SYN. Habranthus pumilus (L. B. C. 1771).
Z. robusta (stout). fl., perianth purplish-rose, becoming white, 3 1/2in. long, with scarcely any tube, the outer segments broader than the inner ones; spathe 2/3in. long, undivided, the pedicel rather longer; scape robust. June. l. slightly glaucous, channelled. Bonaria, 1828. Greenhouse. SYN. Habranthus robustus (L. B. C. 1761; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 14).
Z. rosea (rose-coloured).* fl. smaller than in Z. carinata; perianth rose-coloured, regular, erect, the segments rotate-spreading, oval, apiculate, green below the middle, nearly free to the base; pedicel 1 1/2in. long; spathe reddish, bilobed; scape 6in. long, compressed. May. l. linear, flat, glabrous, striated, rounded at apex, 6in. or more long, recumbent. Cuba, 1828. Plant tufted, half-hardy. (B. M. 2537; B. R. 821.) Z. sessilis (sessile). fl., perianth tube more than 1/2in. long, the limb white, the outer segments more or less red; ovary sessile; style much deflexed. April. l. slender, semi-cylindric, green, 8in. to 9in. long. Mexico, 1870. Greenhouse. (Ref. B. 212.) Z. s. striata (striated). fl., perianth segments striated with red outside; style longer than the filaments. 1824 SYN. Z. striata (B. M. 2593.) Z. s. verecunda (modest). fl., perianth tube green, 5/8in. long, the limb white, 1 1/8in. long, reddish outside; sepaline filaments shorter, petaline ones longer, than the style. 1824. SYN. Z. verecunda (B. M. 2583; Ref. B. 356).
Z. Spofforthiana (Spofforth). A synonym of Z. tubispatha hybrida. Z. striata (striated). A variety of Z. sessilis.
Z. tubispatha (tubular-spathed). fl. fragrant, slightly nodding; perianth white, nearly 2in. long, with scarcely any tube; pedicel nearly 2in. long; spathe 1in. long, erect, cylindrical, bifid; scape 3in. to 4in. long, purplish at base. May. l. few, ligulate-linear, equalling the scape, two to three lines broad, slightly obtuse. Jamaica. Stove. SYN. Amaryllis tubispatha (B. M. 1586).
Z. t. hybrida (hybrid). fl., perianth flesh-coloured. A hybrid between Z. tubispatha and Z. carinata. SYN. Z. Spofforthiana (B. R. 1746). Z. verecunda (modest). A variety of Z. sessilis.
Z. versicolor (various-coloured). fl., perianth at first rose-coloured, at length white, suffused with rose-colour, red at apex, red-striated below, the middle nerve green, 2in. long; pedicel 1 1/2in. long, pale green; spathe and scape at first rose-coloured, becoming red, the former 1 1/4in. long, the latter 5in. long. Winter. l. three or more, nearly 1ft. long, 1/4in. broad, acute. South America, 1821. Hardy. SYN. Habranthus versicolor (B. M. 2485).