Lycoris straminea, houdyshellii, and L. elsiae

But I have limited success with 2 of these 3(4?). These 4
species are all very close in the Kurita et al key : L. albiflora, x.
houdyshelii, x straminea and x. elisae.

As I understand it.........

A. L. straminea flowers open straw tan. Maybe a dirty yellow.
The tepals each have a thin pink mid-line and distinct small pink
flecks. It gets about a foot high in bloom. It does not bloom here
reliably Native to E. China 2N = 19
It seems very distinct to me.

B. L. xhoudyshellii has white flowers. I'd call it creamy to
clear white. Although the foliage appears here regularly, flowers are
scarce. It blooms later than straminea and closer to radiata bloom
season. Native to E. China 2N = 30

It seems close to x albiflora to me at least according to the
lit. Albiflora is native to Japan and both seem easily confused as a
so-called L. radiata 'alba'.

C. L. elisae . I have never grown this species (maybe), but it
is the only species with salmon flowers. It is native to Japan. 2N =
17. This may be the species illustrated on the wiki as "A tangerine
colored hybrid, possibly involving L. sanguinea" see:
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… in
which case I do grow it.

But at least these four do share a number of characters:
Autumn foliage, exserted stamens, relative small stature.
All of these are in the subgenus Lycoris and most are
difficult for my climate except for the few with spring foliage that
are in cultivation.

L. shaanxiensis has been mentioned. As I understand this
species, it is the northern most species (hardiest?), flowers are
white. Spring foliage. Shaanxi Province, China. 2N= ? Although I have
received a number of bulbs with this name, they have proved to be
mis-identified and or not hardy. It should be comparable to L.
caldwellii , its potentially closest relative , which is very hardy
and reliable here in Kansas City. I have tried to get bulbs direct
from Shaanxi Province without success.

I suspect it is not in cultivation.

Roh et al" Identification and Classification of the Genus
Lycoris Using Molecular Markers" from 2002 is superseded in part by
Shi et al "Phylogenetic relationships and possible Hybrid Origin of
Lycoris Species (Amaryllidaceae) Revealed by ITS Sequences" (2006). A
major problem with both is the lack of clear differentiation of the
species to begin with and verification of species identities. Lycoris
are especially difficult to work with because floral characteristics
may seem quite similar, but vegetative characters can be quite
different, but separated by a few to 6 months in time.
Few people take all characters into account. I still weigh
heavily to Kurita et al "Synopsis of the Genus Lycoris
(Amaryllidaceae) 1994 even with major gaps.

You have a distinctly rich potential for sorting these out by
comparing the many plants in these plots carefully. The fact that
these three seemingly different species all look the same suggest to
me that 2 are possibly misidentified, even from multiple, 'reliable'
sources. I do not consider myself reliable on any of these particular
species. That also means that all of the above must be taken with
ample qualifications, hedging and serious doubts.

Very frustrating.

So waddaya think? Best Jim

--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +