Jersey Lily

Botanical Name : Amaryllis belladonna

Family : Amaryllidaceae

Introduction :

Leaves of A. belladonna begin growing in early spring, or during late autumn. They last for a few weeks to a few months until they wither away, and a flower stalk will begin growing. When found in the wild, Amaryllis belladonna is pollinated by hawk moths and carpenter bees. The flower has a long-tubed, pale perianth, which fully expands at night. This flower will then release a sweet fragrance, that contains acyclic terpenoid alcohol, linalool and abundant nectar, that attracts pollinators to it. A. belladonna seeds are soft and fleshy, and appear white or pinkish. They are dispersed through wind dispersal during the winter time.

Names in different Indian languages :

English: Jersey lily, belladonna-lily, naked-lady-lily, March lily

Synonyms :

Amaryllis blanda Ker Gawl.

Amaryllis longipetala Lem.

Amaryllis obliqua L.f. ex Savage

Amaryllis pallida Delile

Amaryllis pudica Ker Gawl.

Amaryllis regalis Salisb.

Amaryllis rosea Lam.

Belladonna blanda (Ker Gawl.) Sweet

Belladonna pallida (Delile) Sweet

Belladonna pudica (Ker Gawl.) Sweet

Belladonna purpurascens Sweet

Brunsvigia blanda (Ker Gawl.) L.S.Hannibal

Brunsvigia major Traub

Brunsvigia rosea (Lam.) L.S.Hannibal

Brunsvigia rosea var. blanda (Ker Gawl.) Traub

Brunsvigia rosea var. elata L.S.Hannibal

Brunsvigia rosea var. longipetala (Lem.) Traub

Brunsvigia rosea var. major L.S.Hannibal

Brunsvigia rosea var. minor L.S.Hannibal

Brunsvigia rosea var. pallida (Delile) L.S.Hannibal

Brunsvigia rosea var. pudica (Ker Gawl.) L.S.Hannibal

Callicore rosea (Lam.) Link

Coburgia belladonna (L.) Herb.

Coburgia blanda (Ker Gawl.) Herb.

Coburgia pallida (Delile) Herb.

Coburgia pudica (Ker Gawl.) Herb.

Coburgia rosea (Lam.) Gouws

Imhofia rosea (Lam.) Salisb.

Leopoldia belladonna (L.) M.Roem.

Zephyranthes pudica (Ker Gawl.) D.Dietr.

Morphology :

Perennial bulbous geophyte with one to two erect solid stems which appear in late summer. The inflorescence bears 2–12 showy fragrant funnel-shaped flowers on a ‘naked’ (leafless) stem, which gives it the common name of naked-lady-lily. The pink flowers which may be up to 10cm in length, appear in the autumn before the leaves (hysteranthy) which are narrow and strap shaped.

Distribution & Habitat :

Amaryllis belladonna grows in the South Western Cape.

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