Zephyranthes minuta is a plant species very often referred to as Zephyranthes grandiflora, including in Flora of North America.[2] The latter is, however, an illegitimate name because the original author in coining the name Zephyranthes grandiflora listed the older name Amaryllis minuta as a synonym.[3] This makes "minuta"[4] the acceptable epithet under the ICN. In the UK it is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[5]

Zephyranthes minuta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Amaryllidoideae
Genus:	Zephyranthes
Species:	Z. minuta
Binomial name
Zephyranthes minuta (Kunth) D.Dietr.
Synonyms[1]
Amaryllis minima Ker Gawl. Amaryllis minuta Kunth Amaryllis striatula Schult. & Schult.f. Zephyranthes ackermannia (Herb.) M.Roem. Zephyranthes grahamiana Herb. Zephyranthes grandiflora Lindl. Zephyranthes lilacina Liebm. Zephyranthes pallida M.Roem. Zephyranthes sessilis var. ackermannia Herb. Zephyranthes sessilis var. striata (Herb.) Herb. Zephyranthes sessilis var. verecunda (Herb.) Herb. Zephyranthes striata Herb. Zephyranthes verecunda Herb.

Description

Zephyranthes minuta is a bulb-forming perennial with shiny green leaves up to 7 mm wide. Flowers in wild specimens are usually pink, funnel-shaped, up to 9 cm long. Cultivated specimens are frequently larger, often with extra tepals.[2][6]

Distribution

Zephyranthes minuta[6] is native to Mexico and Guatemala but widely cultivated as an ornamental and reportedly naturalized in Hawaii, the Andaman Islands, the islands of the Southwestern Caribbean (belonging to Colombia, Nicaragua and Honduras), and the southeastern United States (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama and Florida).[2][7]

Chemical composition

The following compounds are found in this plant: Pancratistatin, Zephgrabetaine, Lycorine, Galanthine, Lycoramine, Hamayne, Hamanthamine, Tortuosine, Ungeremin.[8]

Gallery

References