Crinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs.
They are found in seasonally moist areas, including marshes, swamps, depressions and along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide.
Crinum leaves are basal, typically long and strap-shaped, with colors ranging from light green to green.
Several species are used in aquariums.
Cytological studies have shown some 27 species of Crinum to be diploid with a normal chromosome count of 2n = 22.
Abilio Fernandes found that the Orange River Crinum bulbispermum had a count of 2n = 66, and some desert Crinum macowanii 2n = 44.
These polyploid species produce seeds that are often parthenogenetic triploid or diploids, lack vigour and seldom grow to mature plants.
Taxonomy
, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families lists 105 species of Crinum.
Amongst these are:
Crinum americanum L. – southern swamplily, seven sisters
Crinum asiaticum L. – poisonbulb
Crinum bulbispermum (Burm.f.)
Milne-Redh.
& Schweick.
– hardy swamplily
Crinum latifolium L.
Crinum macowanii Baker
Crinum moorei Hook.f.
Crinum pedunculatum R.Br., syn.
C. asiaticum var.
pedunculatum – swamplily, river lily or spider lily
Crinum thaianum Schulze  – onion plant
Crinum viviparum (Lam.)
R.Ansari & V.J.Nair – Indian Subcontinent to Indo-China
Formerly placed here
Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmanns.
(as C. africanum L.)
Ammocharis heterostyla (Bullock) Milne-Redh.
& Schweick. (as C. heterostylum Bullock)
Cyrtanthus angustifolius (L.f.)
Aiton (as C. angustifolius L.f.)
Cyrtanthus elatus (Jacq.)
Traub (as C. speciosum L.f.)
Cyrtanthus obliquus (L.f.)
Aiton (as C. obliquum L.f.)
Hippeastrum argentinum (Pax) Hunz. (as C. argentinum Pax)
Urceolina urceolata (Ruiz & Pav.)
Asch.
& Graebn.
(as C. urceolatum Ruiz & Pav.)
Hybrids
× Amarcrinum hybridised with Amaryllis
C. × powellii (garden hybrid between C. bulbispermum and C. moorei) - pale pink, fragrant, lily-like flowers produced in late summer
C. × powellii 'Album' (white flowered cultivar)
Gallery
Image:Crinum moorei close.jpg|Crinum moorei Image:Crinum moorei whole.jpg|Crinum moorei at Strybing Arboretum, San Francisco Image:Crinum ornatum MS 1724.jpg|Crinum ornatum, SW Burkina Faso File:Crinum species W IMG_1103.jpg|Crinum species in Hyderabad, India File:Queen Emma Lily (a0003184).jpg|Queen Emma lily (Crinum augustum or Crinum amabile var. augustum) in Hawaiʻi File:Crinum Lily 'Ellen Bosanquet'.jpg|Crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' See also
List of plants known as lily
References
Bibliography
(online version)
External links
Pacific Bulb Society Crinum Page, includes links to photographs
Crinums In East Texas: Notes From Marcelle Sheppard, includes links to photographs, cultural information, and hybridizing results
Bulbsociety
The Genus Crinum
African Crinums
Bulb Society
Juniper Level Botanic Garden Crinum Photo Gallery
