Lycoris squamigera

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Lycoris squamigera, the resurrection lily or surprise lily, is a plant in the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae.[2] It is also sometimes referred to as naked ladies (a name used for several other plants). It is native to southeast China and Korea.[3]

Lycoris squamigera
Flowers
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae
Genus: Lycoris
Species:
L. squamigera
Binomial name
Lycoris squamigera
Maxim.
Synonyms[1]
  • Amaryllis hallii Baker
  • Hippeastrum squamigerum (Maxim.) H.Lév.

Description

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Lycoris squamigera is an herbaceous plant with abundant and long (up to 12" long and 1" wide) leaves ("clothes") that appear in spring. The leaves are no longer present when the flowers emerge much later, without their "clothes", from the bare ground, hence the name "Naked Ladies". The leaves sprout from the bulbs and grow in the spring, then die back during June, leaving no signs of life. The flowers spring dramatically from the bare ground in mid to late summer, and it usually takes only four to five days from first emergence to full bloom.[4] This suddenness is reflected in its common names: surprise lily, magic lily, and resurrection lily. The flowers are white or pink and fragrant.

 
Flowers emerged, leaves are not present; two buds on short stem from ground – Chiba, Japan

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The Plant List
  2. ^ Stevens, P.F., Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Amaryllidoideae
  3. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. ^ Maximowicz, Carl Johann. 1885. Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 6: 79–80