Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

Identification Notes: Hymenocallis can be distinguished vegetatively from Crinum by its distichous (vs. spiral) leaf arrangement and leaf margins entire (vs. finely toothed). Read more in Weakley's Flora (2023).

Learn more about Hymenocallis from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

The species in the genus Hymenocallis are hairless, perennial herbs with large, onion-like bulbs and often underground stems (rhizomes). Their strap-shaped, somewhat fleshy leaves all arise directly from the bulb in two ranks. These leaves are erect or arching, bright green to bluish-green and deciduous or evergreen. Each plant sends up a single, two-edged or sometimes roundish, leafless stalk (scape), at the top of which are several membranous leaf-like bracts underneath one to sixteen sessile, fragrant flowers. At the base of each flower sits a green ovary. Within the ovary are three chambers (locules), each containing one or more ovules (structures that become seeds). Above the ovary, a more or less slender floral tube divides at its tip into six long and narrow, white or pale green tepals (three petals and three sepals). Above the tepals, a delicate white membranous staminal cup joins the bases of the six long, thin stamens, per Garland, Smith, & Anderson 2013.

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis   FAMILY Liliaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26 (2002)

Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis

SYNONYMOUS WITH (MISAPPLIED) Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Hymenocallis caroliniana

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Hymenocallis occidentalis

COMMON NAME:
Hammock Spiderlily, Woodland Spiderlily, Northern Spiderlily

         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide    pnd_hyca9_001_lvd

        

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_hyoc2_001_lvd

        

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_h_occidentalis_48

August        

Grows well in upland mesic forests, sometimes distant from a river or stream, per Flora of North America.

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_h_occidentalis_57

August        

Staminal cup [corona] less than 4.5cm long, per Weakley's Flora (2012).

Dan Whitten    sdw_20200807_151759

August        AL

Inflorescence 3-7 flowered, rarely 2-flowered, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

Dan Whitten    sdw_spiderlily3

August        AL

Leaves linear, 2-4cm wide, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis   FAMILY Amaryllidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis   FAMILY Liliaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26
Hymenocallis occidentalis var. occidentalis

SYNONYMOUS WITH (MISAPPLIED) Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Hymenocallis caroliniana

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hymenocallis occidentalis