Alophia is a small genus in the Iridaceae family with about 5 species native to the southern United States, Central and South America. Plants have pleated sword shaped leaves and flowers that last only a few hours or for a day. They are related to Cypella, Herbertia, and Tigridia. Some species that were previously included in this genus are now found in Herbertia.
Alophia drummondii (Graham) R.C.Foster or the pine woods lily grows in moist sandy soils in grasslands and open pine woods in the southern United States south to Mexico. Temperatures tend to be very hot and humid in the summer, with relatively lower amount of rain in the winter and almost no frost. It has violet-maroon flowers with brown, yellow, and white markings and blooms in summer. It can be grown from seed to flowering in one to two years. Photo #1 by Mary Sue Ittner. And blooming on another day, photos 2-4 by Bob Rutemoeller showing the front and the back and a very unusual view of the side. Photo 5 by M. Gastil-Buhl shows seed from PBS BX 323 #25 on a 1 mm grid.
Alophia veracruzana Goldblatt & T.M.Howard is native to Vera Cruz, Mexico. It grows in moist sandy soils in grasslands and open pine woods. The flowers are paler than Alophia drummondii. Plants bloom in June and July. It takes one to two years to bloom grown from seeds. Photos by Alani Davis.
