Perfumed Spiderlily

The long perianth tube in Hymenocallis latifolia contrasts sharply with the short, funnelform staminal corona. This species is a yard favorite throughout Florida.

Bulb nonrhizomatous, forming numerous bulblets, enlarging with age, 4–8 × 2–5 cm; basal plate 2–4 cm; neck 4–6 cm; tunic grayish brown. Leaves evergreen, numerous, arching outwards, spreading distally, 5–10 dm × 4–9 cm, coriaceous; blade broadly liguliform, gradually tapering proximally, apex subacute to acute. Scape 4–10 dm, slightly compressed, glaucous; scape bracts 2, enclosing buds, 4–7 × 1.5–2.5 cm; subtending floral bracts 4–5 cm × 10–15 mm. Flowers 9–15, opening sequentially, fragrant; perianth tube green, 9–20 cm; tepals extending nearly horizontally, reflexed distally, white, 7.5–13 cm × 4–6 mm; corona white with small green eye, funnelform, 2–3 × 3–4 cm, margins between free portions of filaments wavy, without prominent projections; free portions of filaments inserted on flat base, slightly incurved, green except becoming white near insertion, 4–6 cm; anthers 1.2–2 cm, pollen orange; ovary ovoid, 0.9–1.6 cm × 5–10 mm, ovules 2 per locule; style green in distal 1/2, fading to white proximally, 19–23 cm. Capsules subglobose, ca. 3 × 3 cm. Seeds obovoid, 1.8–2.4 × 1.4–1.8 cm. 2n = 46, 70.

Fla.

Flowering summer.

Coastal dunes, sand ridges, edges of hammocks and flatwoods, mangrove swamps of southern Florida peninsula and keys, rarely disjunct along coastal nw Florida and Gulf coastal states; 0m.

Pancratium latifolium Miller, Gard. Dict. ed. 8, Pancratium no. 8. 1768; Hymenocallis caymanensis Herb; H. collieri Small; H. keyensis Small; H. kimballiae Small

Hymenocallis latifolia (mangrove spider-lily or perfumed spider-lily) is a bulb-forming perennial that grows on beaches, sand dunes, mangrove swamps and other wetlands along the coasts of Florida, Mexico, and the West Indies (Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, etc.). It has showy white flowers and large green seeds up to 2.5 cm in diam. Common names include "mangrove spider-lily," "perfumed spider-lily,"