Crinum zeylanicum

Crinum zeylanicum (L.) L.

Common Names: Crinum Lily, Milk and Wine Lily, Ceylon Swamp Lily

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Habit: Crinum zeylanicum is a perennial herb that produces a basal rosette of linear leaves from a fleshy underground bulb. The leaves are parallel veined, up to 10 cm wide and 1 m long with an acuminate leaf apex.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in an umbel bearing up to 14 sessile flowers.  The calyx has 3 white with red center sepals. The corolla has 3 white with red center petals.  The calyx and corolla are fused together at their base.  There are 6 stamens partially fused to the perianth forming a tubular hypanthium.  The ovary is inferior and has three locules containing multiple ovules each.  The fruit is a capsule that is white at maturity.

Habitat: Crinum zeylanicum grows in Human Altered environments (yards and gardens).

Distribution: Crinum zeylanicum is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago.  It is native to the Seychelles, the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka.  It is now grown throughout the Caribbean region, and subtropical North and Central America.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Crinum zeylanicum is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.

Crinum zeylanicum is commonly used in the horticultural industry especially for coastal areas in the southern United States and the Caribbean.