Milla biflora /Hymenocallis × spofforthiae 'Sulphur Queen'

This is my second year of bloom for Milla biflora, a white "star flower"
cormous plant I obtained from Telos Rare Bulbs. The first year only one of
my three corms bloomed and although I thought it was rather striking, it
didn't last for more than three or four days. This year all three have
bloomed and none of them at the same time so I've had an extended period to
admire them. I kept them dry in winter and started watering in the spring
and they have bloomed in June and July. I never moved my pot out of the
greenhouse and I suspect my plants might have wanted more light since they
seem taller this year.

I was reading about this genus in John Bryan's Bulbs and was surprised to
see him list it in the Amaryllidaceae family since it has been recently
moved to Themidaceae from Alliaceae and Bulbs of North America places it in
Liliaceae so it must be another one of those that has made the rounds. I
think the flower is very interesting, but also was surprised to see it
described as sessile but appearing stalked. I measured the one in flower at
the moment and what looks like a stalk to me measures 32 cm.(more that 12
inches), where it branches for each flower and those branches are 15 cm. (6
inches). Not all of that branch looks like it is a tube, but I suppose it
could be. Even if you count the top part as a long tube, what would you
call the part below. Could someone explain sessile in gardener's terms so I
can understand it? I thought it meant no flowering stem or stalk like
Trillium ovatum that sits directly on top of the leaves.

In Bulbs it says that this genus usually has 5-8 flowers and this species
up to 7 flowers per stem. Bulbs of North America describes it as an open
umbel of 2 to 6 flowers. Since one year I had plant with one flower and the
second year two plants with one flower and one with two I am wondering if I
can ever expect more flowers. As it gets bigger will there be more flowers
does anyone think? Does anyone else grow this plant who can share their
experiences?

I think maybe Shawn Pollard has seen it in the wild when he lived in
Arizona and can remember how many flowers it had. It is supposed to be
fragrant and I thought maybe it was when I walked in the greenhouse and
something smelled wonderful. What I smelled turned out to be Hymenocallis ×
spofforthiae 'Sulphur Queen' which was blooming at the same time. I'm
really grateful to Jim McKenney for identifying the parentage of that plant
as I've been a bit confused about what to call it. (I added his information
to the wiki Hymenocallis page too since it seems like if it is a hybrid
between two Hymenocallis species that is a logical place for it to be even
though it is often sold as Ismene 'Sulphur Queen.' I got really close to
the Milla but couldn't detect anything.

To see the pictures from this year of my Milla (looking down, in bud so you
can decide whether you think it is sessile or not, and the wonderful green
striped back) go to :
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…

Mary Sue
where it is 69 degrees F. (20.5 C.) at 10:00 a.m. in the middle of summer
as the fog is lifting, but the overcast remains. Last measurable rainfall
was in May.

Mary Sue Ittner
California's North Coast
Wet mild winters with occasional frost
Dry mild summers