Proiphys amboinensis.
The Cardwell Lily.
The ovoid bulbs are up to 6 cm long.
They produce offsets and the plants form clumps.
Plants are evergreen or deciduous depending on how cold it gets.
The fairly erect leaf stalks, petioles, are from 15 to 60 or 70 cm long.
The blades are the largest of the species being 25 to 30 cm long.
They can be round, kidney- shaped or ovate with a cordate base and a small pointed tip.
The edge is smooth and can be slightly wavy.
Blades are glossy, and usually dark green.
The blade is deeply impressed by the approximately 12 -15 pairs of curved veins.
The leafless inflorescence stalks, scapes, are 20 to 80 cm high.
There is only one per bulb with, occasionally, up to 24 flowers at the top.
With a lot of flowers the head is up to 18 cm across.
Flowers open successively over a long time.
There are 2 to 4 large spathe-like bracts around the buds.
Flowers are up to about 8 cm long by 5.5 cm wide.
They are on stalks up to 4 cm long.
Flowers have 6 tepals with the bases fused into a narrow tube.
The tepal lobes are about as long as the tube.
Flowers are white with yellowish throats.
They flower in summer.
There are 6 stamens with the bases joined by a white staminal corona.
It can be nearly 1 cm long and the margin may be toothed.
The dorsifixed anthers are yellow.
The ovary is inferior, with 3 locules and a single style and stigma.
The fruit are dark green loculicidal capsules up to 4 cm long.
The black seeds sometimes germinate in the capsule.
J.F.
