Ypsilandra Franch. is a genus of the Melanthiaceae. Plants are perennial herbs and rhizomatous, producing numerous seeds. In 2025 it is considered by many authorities to be a synonym of Helonias L.
Ypsilandra thibetica Franch. in 2025 is considered by many authorities to be Helionias thibetica (Franch.) N.Tanaka. There are still many references to it under the previous name so for now we will leave it on this page. It is a species from Tibet and western China. The flowers range from white, pink, or purple. The sepals are persistent and remain when the seed capsules are maturing. In the Bay Area, flowers bloom early in March. Height range: 30-40 cm. Photos 1-3 taken by Nhu Nguyen from the UC Botanical Garden. Photo 4 from Paige Woodward of a plant that originated from divisions of material collected in China, in NE Yunnan province, by Steve Hootman. She positions it on a slope and reports it is hardy to Zone 6, possibly colder.
