Eucharis – Amazon lily.
Family Amaryllidaceae s.l. > Subfamily Amaryllidoideae.
There are about 17 (15 – 20) species and 2 natural hybrids all often called Amazon lily.
They are used as garden plants and cut flowers – especially E x grandiflora
which is a natural hybrid of E. moorei x E. sanderi.
It is often confused with, and sold as, the similar appearing E. amazonica.
Eucharis plants are perennials up to 70 cm high that grow from bulbs.
Leaves, on long petioles, are up to 50 cm long and 20 cm wide.
The shiny green blade can be narrow or broadly elliptic, ovate or lance-shaped.
They are deeply veined.
Inflorescence stalks are erect, strong and up to 80 or 90 cm high.
There are commonly 2 to 4 (10) flowers in an umbel at the top.
There are bracts around the buds and bracteoles at the base of the individual flowers.
Flowers have 6 white tepals in 2 whorls.
Their bases are fused forming a long tube with flared lobes at the top.
The bases of the 6 stamens are united to form a staminal cup or corona.
The white cup often has yellow or green areas especially along the filaments.
The corona is up to 30 mm across and 14 mm high.
There are shallow teeth on the upper edge which curves outwards slightly.
The anthers, with short basal appendages, open via longitudinal slits.
The inferior ovary has 3 locules each with numerous ovules with axile placentation.
There is a single style with a 3-lobed stigma.
The fruit is a loculicidal capsule.
J.F.
