Lycoris albiflora and DNA analysis (Tony Avent)

We have reviewed several dozen Lycoris DNA papers, and some differ quite
dramatically in their results. We also currently grow well over 500
different clones of lycoris, which has formed the basis of our studies
into the genus.

In a nutshell, there are four names for hybrids of Lycoris radiata and
one of the two orange/yellow species (L. aurea and L. chinensis). All
F1 hybrids with fall-leaf species will have fall leaves, even crosses
with a spring leaf species.

L. x albiflora

L. x elsiae

L. x houdyshelii

L. x straminea

All of the DNA tests show that L. x elsiae is L. radiata x aurea

Pretty much all of the DNA tests (except Shu) show that both L. x
houdyshelii and L. x straminea are two names for the same cross of L.
radiata x chinensis). L. x straminea is the earliest published name and
would take precedent over L. x houdyshelii. Shu determined one parent
to be L. longituba, with which we disagree.

We grow several clones of each, many from controlled crosses, and the
flowering times of all of the L. chinensis x radiata hybrids range from
late July through mid-August, which makes sense since L. chinensis
blooms much earlier than L. aurea.

All of the L. x elsiae hybrids all flower in early September, coinciding
perfectly with the flowering of L. aurea and L. radiata

L. x albiflora is still a mystery. Most of the DNA tests show it to be
L. radiata x aurea, while a few other show rather odd results (see
below). We suspect these odd results occurred due to misidentified
testing material.

radiata v. pumila x aurea (Makino 1943)

radiata var pumila x aurea (traubii)(Inariyama 1944)

radiata var. pumila x aurea (Takuemura 1962)

radiata var. pumila x aurea (Caldwell 1981)

radiata var. radiata x traubii (Kurita 1987)

radiata v. pumila x aurea (Furuta etal 1989)

x rosea x chinensis (Lin 1990) (plants in the trade are not this
parentage – ta)

chinensis x sprengeri (Shi, Qui, Li, Wu, Fu 2006) (plants in the trade
are not this parentage – ta)

aurea (traubii) x sanguinea (Inariyama 1932,33,37) (plants in the
trade are not this parentage – ta)

If it turns out that L. aurea is one parent of L. x albiflora, then the
name L. x albiflora would supersede L. x elsiae due to an earlier
publication date. If the second parent turns out to be L. chinensis,
the L. x albiflora name would become a synonym of the earlier published
L. x straminea.

The parentage of L. x caldwellii is also wrong. It is L. longituba x L.
chinensis. We grow nearly a dozen clones of L. sprengeri x chinensis
hybrids, and this isn’t one.

Tony Avent

Proprietor

tony@jlbg.org

Juniper Level Botanic Garden and Plant Delights Nursery

Ph 919.772.4794/fx 919.772.4752

9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 USA

USDA Zone 7b/Winter 0-5 F/Summer 95-105F

"Preserving, Studying, Propagating, and Sharing the World’s Flora”

--
David Pilling
http://www.davidpilling.com/
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