thumb|Diversity in Zephyranthes
Zephyranthes Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607 is a genus of temperate and tropical plants in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, native to the Western Hemisphere and widely cultivated as ornamentals.
There are over 70 recognized species,Mabberly, D.J. 1987.
The Plant Book.
Cambridge University Press.
as well as numerous hybrids and cultivars.
Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily, Atamasco lily,  and rain lily.
The name is derived from Ζέφυρος (Zephyrus), the Greek god of the west wind, and ἄνθος (anthos), meaning flower, referring to the slender stalks.Zephyranthes etymologies, Wordnik, accessed February 23, 2010, citing Century Dictionary Taxonomy
According to Meerow et al., cladistics suggests that the genus is native to the Americas.
Several species have become naturalized (sometimes unintentionally) in other places like Hawaii, Indonesia, and Thailand.
The species that are native to the higher altitudes in Mexico (e.g., Z. lindleyana, Central America (Costa Rica, e.g., Z. carinata) and parts of North America (e.g., Z. longifolia) or Argentina (e.g., Z. candida) represent the species having the greatest potential for cold hardiness.
Biology
These perennial bulbs (geophytes) tolerate many ecological niches (periodically wet soil to desert conditions), and have many ornamental characteristics.
Many parts of the plant including the leaves and bulbs are considered to be toxic.
The genus has been evaluated for possible medicinal properties, and the biochemically toxic compounds are classed as alkaloids.Kojima et al. 1997.
Traditional uses
Parts of Zephyranthes, such as bulbs and leaves, are used in traditional medicine.
In Peru, Z. andina (syn. Z. parvula) was used for tumors.
In China, Z. rosea was used for breast cancer and in Africa the leaves of Z. candida were used for diabetes mellitus.
It was used for simple problems from head ache, cough, cold, and boils to very complicated diseases such as breast  cancer, tuberculosis, rheumatism, tumors.
Morphology
Species in the genus which are listed in this article vary in morphology.
Along with floral morphology, characteristics such as bulb size, bulb tunic color, and leaf morphology help identify individual species.
Foliage in the wild is often ephemeral, but under cultivation becomes more persistent.
Leaf color ranges from the bright grassy green of Z. candida (shown in the photo) to rather broad glaucous colored foliage such as found in Z. drummondii.
A few of the species have distinct bronze tints in the foliage when grown in bright light.
Size of leaves in these species, ranges from dark green and tiny grassy leaves in species like Z. jonesi or Z. longifolia, to broader, glaucous leaves in species like Z. drummondii.
Perhaps largest leaves of all is found on Z. lindleyana from Mexico, usually distributed as a cultivar called 'Horsetail Falls,' this species has handsome broad leaves almost like a Hippeastrum.
Flowers
Flower color in the species ranges from white to yellow (various tints of this color from lemon to sulfur) and pink.
Zephyranthes have erect flower stalks which support a flower that may  be upward facing or slightly nodding.
The funnel-shaped, flowers with six petals can be crocus shaped, but may also open flat such as in Z. jonesii or even reflex slightly.
The flowers of some species have a sweet, pleasant fragrance.
Fragrance appears to be recessive in crosses, but there are a few species or hybrids, Z. drummondii  (white), Z. morrisclintae (pink) and Z. jonesii (light yellow), that all carry the trait.
At least two of these open their flowers at night and are attractive to nocturnal insects.
The flowers typically last only for a day or two;  but new flowers may appear in a succession of blooms, especially during humid or rainy weather.
Various members of the genus may bloom spring only or repeat and continue into autumn, often a few days after rainstorms thus one of the common names, rain lilies.
Periods of synchronous bloom, which breeders have dubbed "blitzes", are part of their ornamental value, but also times breeders exploit for the purpose of producing new hybrids.Marta 2005
Most species under cultivation will bloom without the naturally imposed drought and wet that occurs in nature.
Greenhouse grown plants bloom very freely but cycle through periods of bloom.
One of the longest blooming of all the species is Z. primulina which blooms from April until October.
Although it is apomictic, it is a choice parent for crosses because of its rapid repeat flowering trait and long bloom season.
Some other species such as Z. morrisclintae appear to bloom only in the spring season.
Most of these species are easily propagated vegetatively via offsets or twin scaling.
A few of them such as Z. clintae are slow to produce increase.
Unusual phenotypes can be preserved vegetatively.
Sexual reproduction is via seed.
The apomictic species freely set seed and faithfully reproduce the maternal phenotype.
Cultivation
Currently these plants are commonly cultivated in USDA hardiness zones 7–10.
Rain lily breeders may develop cultivars with greater cold hardness.
Generally rain lilies are sold in nurseries already potted up.
This is of benefit since the growth cycle is not interrupted.
Rarely (and not ideally), dried bulbs are marketed.
Such dried bulbs usually become established after one to two growing seasons and will regain bloom vigor.
Although many of the common names include "lily", these plants are actually in the Amaryllis family.
Elizabeth Lawrence, in her classic A Southern Garden (1942), writes with enthusiasm about pink rain lily, Zephyranthes grandiflora (=Zephyranthes carinata):
It is one of the hardiest species and is said to winter safely in Philadelphia.
As a child I thought of the little rose-colored lilies as the sign and seal of summer.
My grandmother in Georgia grew them in her garden, and my grandmother in West Virginia grew them in little pots on the front porch.
Those in my garden [in Raleigh] came from Georgia.
They have been with me so long and have increased so much that their bloom makes a sea of pink.
The season is in June but there is scattered bloom in the late summer and even to the end of September.
The flowers are large, to over  long, on  stems.
They open out flat at midday and close in the afternoon; this is a characteristic of the genus.
The shimmering leaves are grass green.
Breeding
Breeding with these species has some inherent difficulties summarized by Roy Chowdhury (2006) as ranging from pseudogamy and apomixis, differences in chromosome number and varying times of flowering.
In spite of these drawbacks breeding work is being done to enhance the value of the plants as ornamentals.
Because of the nature of botanical restriction, breeding programs often encounter impediments.
Reciprocal crosses may be difficult because the apomictic parent cannot be used as female parents.
However interspecific crosses are well documented.RoyChowdhury 2006 There are tri-hybrids and quad-hybrids being produced (crossing 3 or 4 distinct species).
Such work indicates that complex hybrids should be possible.
One constraint remains that seedlings may still carry the apomictic trait, and it is necessary to have progeny from a test cross to determine this.
Species
The list of species below is taken from  the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families ,, search for "Zephyranthes" unless otherwise noted.
Only some selected synonyms are given.
Zephyranthes albiella Traub
Zephyranthes albolilacinus Cárdenas
Zephyranthes americana (Hoffmanns.)
Ravenna
Zephyranthes amoena Ravenna
Zephyranthes andina (R.E.Fr.) Traub
Zephyranthes atamasca (L.) Herb.
– Atamasco lily, wild Easter lily (Florida, USA), type species
Zephyranthes bella T.M.Howard & S.Ogden
Zephyranthes bifolia (Aubl.)
M.Roem.
Zephyranthes brevipes Standl.
Zephyranthes breviscapa Ravenna
Zephyranthes briquetii J.F.Macbr.
Zephyranthes candida (Lindl.)
Herb. (Argentina)
Zephyranthes capivarina Ravenna
Zephyranthes cardinalis C.H.Wright
Zephyranthes carinata Herb.
Zephyranthes cearensis (Herb.)
Baker' (Ceará, Brazil)
Zephyranthes challensis Ravenna = Zephyranthes andina (R.E.Fr.) Traub
Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.)
D.Dietr. (US)
Zephyranthes chrysantha Greenm.
& C.H.Thomps.
Zephyranthes ciceroana M.M.Mejía & R.García
Zephyranthes citrina Baker (Mexico), syn.
Z. sulphurea
Zephyranthes clintiae Traub
Zephyranthes concolor (Lindl.)
Benth.
& Hook.f.
Zephyranthes crociflora T.M.Howard & S.Ogden
Zephyranthes cubensis Urb.
Zephyranthes depauperata Herb.
Zephyranthes dichromantha T.M.Howard
Zephyranthes diluta Ravenna
Zephyranthes drummondii D.Don in R.Sweet – giant rain lily, prairie lily, Hill Country rain lily (US)
Zephyranthes elegans Ravenna
Zephyranthes erubescens S.Watson
Zephyranthes filifolia Herb.
ex Kraenzl.
Zephyranthes flavissima Ravenna – yellow rain lily
Zephyranthes fluvialis Ravenna
Zephyranthes fosteri Traub
Zephyranthes fragrans Ravenna
Zephyranthes gracilis Herb.
Zephyranthes gratissima Ravenna
Zephyranthes guatemalensis L.B.Spencer
Zephyranthes hondurensis Ravenna
Zephyranthes howardii Traub
Zephyranthes insularum H.H.Hume ex Moldenke (W. coast of Mexico)
Zephyranthes jonesii (Cory) Traub (US)
Zephyranthes katheriniae L.B.Spencer (Mexico)
Zephyranthes lagesiana Ravenna
Zephyranthes latissimifolia L.B.Spencer
Zephyranthes leucantha T.M.Howard
Zephyranthes lindleyana Herb. (Mexico)
Zephyranthes longistyla Pax
Zephyranthes longituba Flory ex Flagg & G.Lom.Sm.
Zephyranthes macrosiphon Baker (Mexico)
Zephyranthes mesochloa Herb.
ex Lindl. (South America)
Zephyranthes microstigma Ravenna
Zephyranthes minima Herb.
Zephyranthes minuta (Kunth) D.Dietr.
Zephyranthes miradorensis (Kraenzl.)
Espejo & López-Ferr.
Zephyranthes moctezumae T.M.Howard (Mexico)
Zephyranthes modesta Ravenna
Zephyranthes morrisclintii Traub & T.M.Howard – Morris-Clint's rain lily
Zephyranthes nelsonii Greenm.
Zephyranthes nervosa Herb.
Zephyranthes nymphaea T.M.Howard & S.Ogden
Zephyranthes orellanae Carnevali
Zephyranthes paranaensis Ravenna
Zephyranthes parvula Killip = Zephyranthes andina (R.E.Fr.) Traub
Zephyranthes plumieri H.H.Hume ex Moldenke
Zephyranthes primulina T.M.Howard & S.Ogden – yellow rain lily (Mexico)
Zephyranthes proctorii Acev.
-Rodr.
& M.T.Strong
Zephyranthes pseudocolchicum Kraenzl.
Zephyranthes puertoricensis Traub
Zephyranthes pulchella J.G.Sm.
Zephyranthes purpurella Ravenna
Zephyranthes pusilla (Herb.)
D.Dietr.
= Zephyranthes americana (Hoffmanns.)
Ravenna
Zephyranthes refugiensis F.B.Jones – Refugio zephyr lily
Zephyranthes reginae T.M.Howard & S.Ogden – Queens rain lily (Mexico)
Zephyranthes rosalensis Ravenna
Zephyranthes rosea Lindl.
– pink rain lily
Zephyranthes sessilis Herb.
Zephyranthes simpsonii Chapm.
– Simpson's lily, Carolina Atamasco lily
Zephyranthes smallii (Alexander) Traub – Small's rain lily
Zephyranthes stellaris Ravenna
Zephyranthes subflava L.B.Spencer
Zephyranthes susatana Fern.Alonso & Groenend.
Zephyranthes traubii (W.Hayw.)
Moldenke – Traub's rain lily, San Carlos rain lily, Mexican rain lily
Zephyranthes treatiae S.Watson
Zephyranthes tucumanensis Hunz.
Zephyranthes uruguaianica Ravenna
Zephyranthes verecunda Herb.
= Zephyranthes minuta (Kunth) D.Dietr.
Zephyranthes versicolor (Herb.)
G.Nicholson
Zephyranthes wrightii Baker
Zephyranthes yaviensis Ravenna
Some other names are found in the horticultural literature, but  not in scientific databases of plant names, such as the Kew Checklist or the International Plant Names Index.
These include: Zephyranthes huastecana, Zephyranthes lancasterae, Zephyranthes sylvestris and Zephyranthes zeyheri.
Zephyranthes sulphurea is Z. citrina.
Formerly placed here
Cooperia pedunculata Herb. (as Z. drummondii D.Don)
Habranthus arenicola (Brandegee) Flagg, G.Lom.Sm.
& Meerow (as Z. arenicola Brandegee)
Habranthus cardinalis (C.H.Wright) Sealy (as Z. cardinalis C.H.Wright)
Habranthus chichimeca (T.M.Howard & S.Ogden) Flagg, G.Lom.Sm.
& Meerow (as Z. chichimeca T.M.Howard & S.Ogden)
Habranthus longifolius (Hemsl.)
Flagg, G.Lom.Sm.
& Meerow (as Z. aurea S.Watson and Z. longifolia Hemsl.)
Habranthus longipes (Baker) Sealy (as Z. longipes Baker)
Habranthus robustus Herb. (as Z. robusta (Herb.) Baker)
Pyrolirion aureum Herb. (as Z. aurea (Herb.) Baker)
Named hybrids and cultivars
annotated where possible
See also
List of plants known as lily
References
Bibliography
Fellers, J. H. 1996.
A Passion for Rainlilies: Cooperia, Habranthus and Zephyranthes.
Herbertia 51:78–112.
Kapoor, B.M. and S. I. Tandon 1963.
Contribution to the cytology of endosperm in some angiosperms IV: Zephyranthes grandiflora Lindl..
Genentica 34:1:101–112.
Marta, F. 2005.
Breeding of Rainlilies.
Bulbs: Bulletin of the International Bulb Society.
7(1)[January–June]:25–32.
Meerow, A.W., M. F. Fay, C.L. Guy, Q.B. Li, F.Q. Zaman and M.W. Chase.
1999.
Systematics of Amaryllidaceae based on cladistic analysis of plastid RBCL and TML-F sequences of data.
American Journal of Botany.
86:1325–1345.
Rainia, N.S. and TN Khoshhoo.
1971.
Cytogenetics of Tropical Bulbous Ornamentals IX: Breeding system in Zephytanthes.
Euphytica.
21:317–323.
RoyChowdhury, M. and J. Hubstenberger.
2006.
Evaluation of cross pollination of Zephyranthes and Habranthus species and hybrids.
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science.
60:113–118.
Soule, J. A. 2005.
"Z" is for Zephyranthes.
Explorer Newspaper (Tucson, Arizona) 24 Aug. 2005.
Bulbsociety
Florida Gardener
External links
