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.
