Zephyranthes citrina

Zephyranthes citrina Baker

Common Names: Rain Lily, Shallot, Wild Shallot, Yellow Crocus, Yellow Rain Lily

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Habit: Zephyranthes citrina grows as a slightly succulent herb from a fleshy underground bulb with a basal rosette of leaves.  The leaves are linear, parallel veined to 20 cm long and 0.5 cm wide with an acute leaf apex and entire margin.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flower is solitary and surrounded by a spathe.  The calyx has 3 yellow sepals and the corolla has 3 yellow petals.  The calyx and corolla are fused together along their lower half.  There are 6 stamens partially fused to the perianth forming a tubular hypanthium.  The ovary is inferior and has three locules containing two ovules each.  The fruit is capsule that is brown at maturity.

Habitat: Zephyranthes citrina grows in Human Altered environments with a sand substrate including roadsides and yards.

Distribution: Zephyranthes citrina occurs in the central and northern island groupings of the Lucayan Archipelago as well as Mexico south to northern South America.  It is considered naturalized in the Caribbean.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: The bulbs of Zephyranthes citrina are used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago to treat respiratory problems although the bulbs are considered toxic if ingested.

Zephyranthes citrina is used in the horticultural industry for its bright yellow flowers.