keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

HABRANTHUS/AMARYLLIDACEAE
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observed the plants in the field (Lehmiller 1987). Correll and Johnston (1970) listed 3 taxa of
Crinum for TX. Likewise, Kartesz (1994) recognized C. americanum and 2 varieties of C. strictum.
However, Lehmiller (1987, 1993) argued that all American Crinum are nearly homogeneous
and proposed that “… all American Crinum be designated as C. americanum L. with geographic
variations addressed under subspecies classification.” Holmes (1992) also concluded that C.
strictum “should be merged into C. americanum.” While further research is needed, based on
Lehmiller’s extensive field observations and Holmes’ (1992) analyses, it is probable that only a
single variable species influenced by seasonal weather factors and local environmental conditions
is involved. Two varieties of C. americanum are currently recognized by Holmes (2002a);
they are not distinguished on the county distribution map.
1. Umbel with 2–5 flowers; leaves slightly shorter than scape; leaf blades pale green ________ var. americanum
1. Umbel with 6–7 flowers; leaves longer than scape; leaf blades dark green _____________________ var. traubii
var. americanum. Swamps, marshes, ditches, lake margins, in acidic clay muck, often beneath a
dense canopy of cypress and gums; Hardin, Jefferson, and Liberty cos. (Lehmiller 1987) at margin
of the Pineywoods and Gulf Prairies and Marshes; Lehmiller (1987) also reported C. americanum
from the Sabine River at the TX-LA border (without specific county indicated, but probably Orange
Co.); se U.S. from SC s to FL w to TX. (Mar–)Jun–Nov(–Dec). [C. herbertianum Schult. f., C.
strictum Herb., C. texanum L.S. Hannibal] Lehmiller (1987) reported large populations of this species
in the swamps along the Neches River within the Beaumont Unit of the Big Thicket National
Preserve, extending s of Beaumont, and from the Trinity River 80 km w of Beaumont. Hummingbirds,
bumble bees, and black moths have been reported as pollinators (Lehmiller 1987). m/283
T var. traubii (Moldenke) L.S. Hannibal, (for H.P. Traub, 1890–1983, horticulturist and specialist
in the Amaryllidaceae). Swamps, marshes; known only from specimens grown from bulbs collected
in Jefferson and Hardin cos. (Holmes 2002a); endemic to East TX. According to Holmes
(2002a), this variety flowers from summer to autumn. [C. strictum Herb. var. traubii Moldenke]
Based on extensive field studies of Crinum in the Neches River bottoms of the Big Thicket near
Beaumont, Lehmiller (1987) concluded that only one taxon of Crinum grows there and noted
that “both seasonal weather factors and local environment can induce marked variations in
morphology.” He further noted that the “degree of ecological sensitivity observed in native C.
americanum makes any endeavor to differentiate individual varieties very suspect.” Therefore,
while we are tentatively recognizing var. traubii following Holmes (2002a), it is quite possible
that this variety, known only from cultivated plants, is nothing more than a different morphological
expression resulting from cultivation. While not officially designated as such (e.g.,
TOES 1993; Carr 2002d; Poole et al. 2002), given its limited distribution, until additional information
is available we consider this variety to be of conservation concern. � E
Crinum bulbispermum (Burm. f.) Milne-Redh. & Schweick., (with bulb-like seeds), HARDY
SWAMP LILY, ORANGE RIVER LILY. Bulbs 7–13 cm wide; leaves to 80 cm long, 3–5(–rarely more) cm
wide; scapes 40–90 cm tall; pedicels of different lengths; flowers sweetly fragrant; perianth funnelform,
white to pink or reddish, with pink to red stripes, the tube 5–11 cm long, the lobes to 11
cm long. Cultivated, persisting and escaping in disturbed, often wet areas; Cherokee, Fayette,
Houston, Leon, McLennan, Milam (BAYLU), Madison (TAMU), Brazos, Harris, Walker (Turner
et al. 2003), and Grimes (M. Reed pers. obs.) cos.; also Gulf Prairies and Marshes, and Tarrant and
Gillespie (Turner et al. 2003) cos. further w; FL, LA, NC, and TX. Spring–summer. Native of s
Africa. [Amaryllis bulbisperma Burm. f., C. longifolium of authors, not (L.) Thunb.] I m/283
HABRANTHUS Herb. COPPER-LILY
AA genus of ca. 30 species (Flagg et al. 2002a) of s South America, Mexico, and the s U.S. (Meerow
& Snijman 1998), including some cultivated as ornamentals. It is related to Zephyranthes