Zephyranthes puertoricensis

Zephyranthes puertoricensis Traub

Common Names: White Rain Lily

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Habit: Zephyranthes puertoricensis grows as a slightly succulent herb from a fleshy underground bulb with a basal rosette of leaves.  The leaves are linear, parallel veined to 30 cm long and 1 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 white sepals and the corolla has 3 white petals with a yellow center.  The calyx and corolla are fused together along their lower half.  There are 6 stamens in pairs each of two lengths partially fused to the perianth forming a tubular hypanthium.  The ovary is inferior and has three locules containing multiple ovules each.  The fruit is capsule that is brown at maturity with black flat seeds.

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

Distribution: Zephyranthes puertoricensis occurs in throughout the Lucayan Archipelago as well as Puerto Rico.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Zephyranthes puertoricensis is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago but its two related species (Z. citrina and Z. rosea) have been used to treat respiratory problems.

Zephyranthes puertoricensis is not used in the horticultural trade but easily could due to its showy white flowers.