Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria (/ˌælstrɪˈmɪəriə/), commonly called the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Alstroemeriaceae. They are all native to South America although some have become naturalized in the United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Madeira and the Canary Islands. Almost all of the species are restricted to one of two distinct centers of diversity, one in central Chile, the other in eastern Brazil. Species of Alstroemeria from Chile are winter-growing plants while those of Brazil are summer-growing. All are long-lived perennials except A. graminea, a diminutive annual from the Atacama Desert of Chile.

Alstroemeria
Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria aurea)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Alstroemeriaceae
Genus: Alstroemeria
L.
Type species
Alstroemeria pelegrina
Synonyms[1]
  • Alstremeria, alternative spelling
  • Ligtu Adans.
  • Lilavia Raf.
  • Priopetalon Raf.
  • Schickendantzia Pax
  • Taltalia Ehr.Bayer
Alstroemeria × hybrida in the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens
A Peruvian Lily Growing in Mussoorie
Alstroemeria 'Saturne'

Description

Plants of this genus grow from a cluster of tubers. They send up fertile and sterile stems, the fertile stems of some species reaching 1.5 meters in height. The leaves are alternately arranged and resupinate, twisted on the petioles so that the undersides face up. The leaves are variable in shape and the blades have smooth edges. The flowers are solitary or borne in umbels. The flower has six tepals each up to 5 centimeters long. They come in many shades of red, orange, purple, green, and white, flecked and striped and streaked with darker colors. There are six curving stamens. The stigma has three lobes. The fruit is a capsule with three valves. Alstroemeria are classified as an inferior monocot, meaning the petals are located above the ovary and the leaves are parallel.[2]

  • An Alstroemeria cultivar
  • Alstroemeria capsule viewed from above, showing anatomical detail, including apical beak, vascular bundles (in section) in ribs etc.
  • Alstroemeria seed capsule viewed from side, showing winged ribs and (triangular pyramidal) apical beak.
  • Premature dehiscence of Alstroemeria seed capsule

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Johan Peter Falk and his thesis supervisor Carl Linnaeus in his 1762 dissertation Planta Alströmeria.[3] Linnaeus bears the botanical authority (L.).

Etymology

The genus was named after the Swedish baron Clas Alströmer (1736–1794), a friend of Linnaeus.

Cultivation and uses

Many hybrids and at least 190 cultivars have been developed, featuring many different markings and colors, including white, yellow, orange, apricot, pink, red, purple, and lavender. The most popular and showy hybrids commonly grown today result from crosses between species from Chile (winter-growing) with species from Brazil (summer-growing). This strategy has overcome the florists' problem of seasonal dormancy and resulted in plants that are evergreen, or nearly so, and flower for most of the year. This breeding work derives mainly from trials that began in the United States in the 1980s, the main breeding is done nowadays by companies in the Netherlands. The flower, which resembles a miniature lily, is very popular for bouquets and flower arrangements in the commercial cut flower trade. These delicate flowers survive up to 14 days in water without any signs of shrivelling.[4]

Most cultivars available for the home garden will bloom in the late spring and early summer. The roots are hardy to a temperature of 23 °F (−5 °C). The plant requires at least six hours of morning sunlight, regular water, and well-drained soil.

AGM cultivars

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, all with a hardiness rating of H4 (Hardy – average winter -10°C to -5°C) apart from 'Friendship' (H5: Hardy – cold winter -15°C to -10°C):

  • 'Apollo'[5] (white/yellow flowers)
  • 'Cahors'[6] (pink/yellow)
  • 'Coronet'[7] (salmon/yellow flowers)
  • 'Friendship'[8] (yellow flushed pink)
  • 'Orange Glory'[9]
  • 'Oriana'[10] (salmon/yellow)
  • 'Phoenix'[11] (red/yellow)
  • 'Red Elf'[12]
  • 'Sirius'[13] (pink/yellow)
  • 'Sonata'[14] (red/yellow)
  • 'Spitfire'[15] (orange/yellow)
  • 'Tessa'[16] (red flowers)
  • 'Yellow Friendship'[17]

Ecology

Some alstroemerias have escaped cultivation and become weeds, such as Alstroemeria pulchella. and A. aurea, which are now weeds in Australia.

Species
ImageNameDistribution
Alstroemeria achiraeMaule
Alstroemeria albescensRio Grande do Sul
Alstroemeria altoparadiseaGoiás
Alstroemeria amabilisBrazil
Alstroemeria amazonicaPará, Bolívar
Alstroemeria andinaChile, Argentina
Alstroemeria angustifoliaChile
Alstroemeria annapolinaGoiás
Alstroemeria apertifloraBrazil, Argentina, Paraguay
Alstroemeria aquidauanicaMato Grosso
Alstroemeria arnicanaGoiás
Alstroemeria aulicaValparaíso
Alstroemeria aureaChile, Argentina; naturalized in New Zealand, Victoria (Australia)
Alstroemeria bahiensisBahia
Alstroemeria bakeriCatamarca
Alstroemeria bilabiataSantiago de Chile
Alstroemeria brasiliensisBrazil
Alstroemeria burchelliiGoiás
Alstroemeria cabralensisMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria caiaponicaGoiás
Alstroemeria callianthaMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria cantillanicaO'Higgins
Alstroemeria capixabaEspírito Santo
Alstroemeria caryophyllaeaBrazil
Alstroemeria chapadensisMato Grosso
Alstroemeria chorillensis Peru
Alstroemeria crispatanorthern Chile
Alstroemeria cuiabanaMato Grosso
Alstroemeria cultrifoliaBrasília
Alstroemeria cunhaBrazil
Alstroemeria decoraValparaíso
Alstroemeria dilutaChile
Alstroemeria discolorValparaíso
Alstroemeria douradensisGoiás
Alstroemeria espigonensisBahia
Alstroemeria exserensChile, Argentina
Alstroemeria fiebrigianaBolivia
Alstroemeria firmulifoliaMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria foliosaBrazil, Paraguay
Alstroemeria fuscovinosaBrazil
Alstroemeria garaventaeChile
Alstroemeria gardneriBrazil
Alstroemeria glaucandraValparaíso
Alstroemeria gouveianaMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria gramineaChile
Alstroemeria hookeriChile
Alstroemeria huemulinaBío Bío
Alstroemeria ibitipocaeMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria igarapavicaSão Paulo
Alstroemeria inodoraBrazil
Alstroemeria isabellanaBrazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay
Alstroemeria itabiritensisMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria jequitianaMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria jocundaSantiago de Chile
Alstroemeria julieaeMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria kingiiChile
Alstroemeria lactiluteaTarapacá
Alstroemeria landimanaBrasília
Alstroemeria leporinaChile
Alstroemeria ligtu, St. Martin's flowerPeru, Chile, Argentina
Alstroemeria litterataMato Grosso
Alstroemeria longaviensisMaule
Alstroemeria longistamineaBrazil
Alstroemeria longistylaGoiás, Minas Gerais
Alstroemeria luteaTarapacá
Alstroemeria magnaValparaíso
Alstroemeria magnificaChile
Alstroemeria malmeanaBrazil
Alstroemeria modestaChile
Alstroemeria mollensisCoquimbo
Alstroemeria monanthaChile
Alstroemeria monticolaBahia, Minas Gerais
Alstroemeria nidularisMaule
Alstroemeria niveaCoquimbo
Alstroemeria ochraceaMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria orchidioidesBrasília, Goiás
Alstroemeria pallidaChile
Alstroemeria paraensisPará
Alstroemeria patagonicasouthern Argentina, southern Chile
Alstroemeria pauperculaPeru, northern Chile
Alstroemeria pelegrina, Peruvian lilyPeru, Chile
Alstroemeria pendulifloraMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria philippiinorthern Chile
Alstroemeria piauhyensisBrazil
Alstroemeria plantagineaBrazil, Venezuela
Alstroemeria poeticaChile
Alstroemeria polpaicanaSantiago
Alstroemeria polyphyllaChile
Alstroemeria preslianaChile, Argentina
Alstroemeria pseudospathulataChile, Argentina
Alstroemeria psittacinaBrazil, Argentina
Alstroemeria pubiflora Goiás
Alstroemeria pudicaSantiago
Alstroemeria pulchella, New Zealand Christmas-bellBrazil, Argentina; naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, Southeastern United States, southern Mexico, Madeira, Canary Islands
Alstroemeria pulchraChile
Alstroemeria punctataBrasília, Goiás
Alstroemeria pygmaeaPeru, Brazil, Argentina
Alstroemeria radulaBrazil
Alstroemeria recumbensChile
Alstroemeria revolutaChile
Alstroemeria ribeirensisParaná
Alstroemeria roseoviridisMato Grosso do Sul
Alstroemeria rupestrisMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria sabulosaValparaíso
Alstroemeria schizanthoidesChile
Alstroemeria sellowiana Brazil
Alstroemeria spathulataChile, Argentina
Alstroemeria speciosaSão Paulo
Alstroemeria spectabilisSantiago
Alstroemeria stenopetalaGoiás, Minas Gerais
Alstroemeria talcaensisMaule
Alstroemeria timidaSantiago
Alstroemeria tombolatoanaGoiás, Minas Gerais
Alstroemeria umbellataChile, Argentina
Alstroemeria variegataMinas Gerais
Alstroemeria venustaChile
Alstroemeria versicolorChile
Alstroemeria virginalisCoquimbo
Alstroemeria viridifloraBrazil
Alstroemeria werdermanniiChile
Alstroemeria xavantinensisMato Grosso
Alstroemeria yaelaeSantiago
Alstroemeria zoelneriChile

Citations
  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. Alstroemeria. Flora of North America.
  3. Linnaeus & Falk 1762.
  4. Long Lasting Flowers
  5. "RHS Plant Selector Alstroemeria 'Apollo' AGM / RHS Gardening". Apps.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  6. "Alstroemeria 'Cahors'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  7. "RHS Plant Selector Alstroemeria 'Coronet' AGM / RHS Gardening". Apps.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. "RHS Plant Selector Alstroemeria 'Friendship' AGM / RHS Gardening". Apps.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
  9. "RHS Plant Selector Alstroemeria 'Orange Glory' AGM / RHS Gardening". Apps.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. "Alstroemeria 'Oriana'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  11. "Alstroemeria 'Phoenix'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  12. "Alstroemeria 'Red Elf'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  13. "Alstroemeria 'Sirius'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  14. "Alstroemeria 'Sonata'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  15. "Alstroemeria 'Spitfire'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  16. "Alstroemeria 'Tessa'". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  17. "RHS Plant Selector Alstroemeria 'Yellow Friendship' AGM / RHS Gardening". Apps.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2020.

General sources
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