Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

Identification Notes: Hymenocallis can be distinguished vegetatively from Crinum by its distichous (vs. spiral) leaf arrangement and leaf margins entire (vs. finely toothed). Read more in Weakley's Flora (2023).

Learn more about Hymenocallis from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

The species in the genus Hymenocallis are hairless, perennial herbs with large, onion-like bulbs and often underground stems (rhizomes). Their strap-shaped, somewhat fleshy leaves all arise directly from the bulb in two ranks. These leaves are erect or arching, bright green to bluish-green and deciduous or evergreen. Each plant sends up a single, two-edged or sometimes roundish, leafless stalk (scape), at the top of which are several membranous leaf-like bracts underneath one to sixteen sessile, fragrant flowers. At the base of each flower sits a green ovary. Within the ovary are three chambers (locules), each containing one or more ovules (structures that become seeds). Above the ovary, a more or less slender floral tube divides at its tip into six long and narrow, white or pale green tepals (three petals and three sepals). Above the tepals, a delicate white membranous staminal cup joins the bases of the six long, thin stamens, per Garland, Smith, & Anderson 2013.

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hymenocallis crassifolia   FAMILY Liliaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Hymenocallis crassifolia

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26 (2002)

Hymenocallis crassifolia

(?) (MISAPPLIED) Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Hymenocallis floridana

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 044-03-001:

Hymenocallis crassifolia   FAMILY Amaryllidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Hymenocallis crassifolia

COMMON NAME:
Carolina Spiderlily, Florida Spiderlily

         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

Dan Whitten    sdw_hcrassifolia

May    Georgetown County    SC

Flowers 1-3 (rarely more) per inflorescence. Perianth segments to 11.5cm long, per Weakley's Flora (2022).

Dan Whitten    sdw_hcrassifolia2

May    Georgetown County    SC

Leaf margins parallel; leaves suberect to erect, per Weakley's Flora (2022).

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Hymenocallis crassifolia   FAMILY Amaryllidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hymenocallis crassifolia   FAMILY Liliaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Hymenocallis crassifolia

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26
Hymenocallis crassifolia

(?) (MISAPPLIED) Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Hymenocallis floridana

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 044-03-001:
Hymenocallis crassifolia   FAMILY Amaryllidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hymenocallis crassifolia