Hippeastrum puniceum (Lam.) Voss

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Hippeastrum puniceum

Mporokoso-Mukunsa, abandoned village site
Oct 2017
Photo: Mike Bingham

Hippeastrum puniceum

Mporokoso-Mukunsa, abandoned village site
Oct 2017
Photo: Mike Bingham

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Synonyms: Amaryllis punicea Lam.
Common names: Barbados Lily (English: Zambia)
Description: A bulbous plant, leaves to 60 cm long, scape to 60 cm long bearing 2 or 3 unscented flowers 10–12 cm long, rosy coloured with cream centre, of tropical America, but taken by man into cultivation in all countries as an ornamental, and naturalized in West Africa.The plant is commonly grown in cemeteries in the Region, and its persistence in the bush may mark the site of abandoned villages (3). In West Africa it rarely sets seed and propagation is by bulbs. In Congo a decoction of the bulb is drunk for tachycardia, and is taken as a love-philtre to aid seduction (1).Several other H. spp. are recorded as showing considerable activity against avian malaria (2). The property of W African H. puniceum should be examined. (from Jstor/Kew)
Notes: (It) is probably the first introduced American ornamental to Africa (FZ).
Derivation of specific name:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Native of tropical America, widely naturalized elsewhere
Growth form(s):
Insects associated with this species:
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Content last updated: Tuesday 14 November 2017
Literature:

Zimudzi, C., Archer, R.H., Kwembeya, E.G. & Nordal, I. (2008). Amaryllidacae Flora Zambesiaca 13(1) Page 98.

Other sources of information about Hippeastrum puniceum:

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Hippeastrum puniceum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Hippeastrum puniceum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Hippeastrum puniceum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Hippeastrum puniceum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Hippeastrum puniceum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Hippeastrum puniceum
JSTOR Plant Science: Hippeastrum puniceum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Hippeastrum puniceum
Plants of the World Online: Hippeastrum puniceum
Tropicos: Hippeastrum puniceum
Wikipedia: Hippeastrum puniceum


Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Nicholas Wightman, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wightman, N., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Cultivated Plants: Species information: Hippeastrum puniceum.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/cult/species.php?species_id=229310, retrieved 12 November 2024

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