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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #356438
Research Project: Subtropical and Tropical Ornamental Genetic Resource Management, Characterization, and Genetic Improvement

Location: Subtropical Horticulture Research

Title: Hippeastrum peruvianum (Amaryllidaceae), a new species from northern Peru, and notes on a naturalized species of Crinum first described as Hippeastrum

Author
item Meerow, Alan
item CAMPOS-ROCHA, ANTONIO - Universidade De Campinas (UNICAMP)

Submitted to: Novon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/21/2018
Publication Date: 5/15/2019
Citation: Meerow, A.W., Campos-Rocha, A. 2019. Hippeastrum peruvianum (Amaryllidaceae), a new species from northern Peru, and notes on a naturalized species of Crinum first described as Hippeastrum. Novon. 27:75–80.

Interpretive Summary: A new species of the genus Hippeastrum, the garden amaryllis, is described from northern Peru as H. peruvianum. First collected and introduced into cultivation in the 1950’s, it has persisted in horticulture and assumed to be of hybrid origin. Failure to recognize this clone as a true species from the jungles of Peru creates confusion among breeders and nomenclatural instability in germplasm of an important flower bulb crop. The fact that the species has not been collected in the wild again over the past 60 years suggest that it might no longer exist in nature. Taxonomic recognition of the new species brings clarity to material useful in further breeding within the genus.

Technical Abstract: A new species of the genus Hippeastrum, the garden amaryllis, is described from northern Peru as H. peruvianum. First collected and introduced into cultivation in the 1950’s, it has persisted in horticulture and assumed to be of hybrid origin. Failure to recognize this clone as a true species from the jungles of Peru creates confusion among breeders and nomenclatural instability in germplasm of an important flower bulb crop. The fact that the species has not been collected in the wild again over the past 60 years suggest that it might no longer exist in nature. Taxonomic recognition of the new species brings clarity to material useful in further breeding within the genus.