Hannonia is a genus of plants in the Amaryllis family.[2] It contains only one known species, Hannonia hesperidum, endemic to Morocco and confined to Western Morocco, Promontory of Hercules.[3][4][5] The specific epithet comes from Greek έσπερος, of evening, as the flowers open in the late afternoon.

Hannonia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Hannonia
Braun-Blanq. & Maire[1]
Species:
H. hesperidum
Binomial name
Hannonia hesperidum
Braun-Blanq. & Maire[1]

Description

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The bulbs are 20-25x20 mm., with brown papery tunics; they have a long neck about 4 cm long. The species is hysteranthous. Scape about 10 cm high, 2-edged, a little twisted, hollow (according to;[6] solid according to [7]), terete; umbel two-flowered. Outermost leaf reduced to a scarious sheath with a very short blade, inner leaves 2 or 3, linear, fleshy, glaucous, flat, just 2 mm wide and 20 cm long. Spathe bracts two, free, but appressed to the scape below their middle. The pedicel is 1 cm, green; the perianth has a short green tube, 5 mm, much shorter than the tepal segments, spreading in six white tepals, 15 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, linear-lanceolate, a bit broadened below the apex, gradually attenuate (narrowing) towards the base, subequal (nearly equal), keeled green on the abaxial surface, keel formed by 3 closely spaced veins. The stamens are biseriate, free, inserted at the throat, 3 equaling the tepals, 3 shorter; filaments filiform; anthers dorsifixed (attached to the filaments at their middle), oblong, versatile, yellow; style white, filiform, and terete. Stigma captitate, obscurely 3-lobed. Ovary with 3 locules; ovules 5-6 per locule.[8][6]

Flowering period: late summer. Each flower lasts just one day. No scent. Grows in rock-fissures, a very sandy-gritty soil is needed in cultivation. No water in summer and very little in winter. In areas which experience frost a frost-free bulb frame or a greenhouse have to be used. Full sun.

Taxonomy

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This genus was placed in tribe Galantheae by Traub[6] on the basis of morphology only; molecular investigations are inconclusive.[9]

The name Hannonia hesperidum var. legionariorum was coined in 1935[10] for a Moroccan plant initially thought to be a variety of Hannonia hesperidum. The name is, however, now considered a synonym of Vagaria ollivieri in the genus Vagaria.[3][11][12]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Hannonia Braun-Blanq. & Maire". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  2. ^ Braun-Blanquet, Josias & Maire, René Charles Joseph Ernest. 1931. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de l'Afrique du Nord. Algiers 22: 104
  3. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. ^ Maire, R. (1960). Flore de l'Afrique du Nord 6: 1-397. Paul Lechevalier, Paris.
  5. ^ Plant Biodiversity of South-Western Morocco, Hannonia hesperidum
  6. ^ a b c Traub 1963
  7. ^ Hannibal, L.S. 1967. A primitive amaryllid - Hannonia hesperidium. Plant Life 23: 143-144.
  8. ^ Meerow & Snijman 1998
  9. ^ Meerow et al. 2000
  10. ^ Emberger, Marie Louis 1935. Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Naturelles du Maroc 15: 175
  11. ^ Maire, René Charles Joseph Ernest 1936. Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de l'Afrique du Nord 27: 78
  12. ^ Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève

Bibliography

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