Amaryllidaceae

April 26, 2021

Amaryllidaceae

The Amaryllidaceae or amaryllis family consists of about 1000+ species of herbaceous plants with showy solitary flowers and prominent bulbous stems. A bulb is in fact a modified stem (not a root), it serves to store nutrients during dormancy. Amaryllidaceae plants occur throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are widely cultivated as ornamental plants like daffodils, or food crops like onions, garlic, and chives. Amaryllidaceae have evolved potent chemical compounds to protect their bulbs from being eaten. Even garlic and onion emit tear inducing, sulfur containing molecules like allicin. More poisonous species produce neurotoxic and cytotoxic alkaloids, such as crinine, galantamine, haemantamine and lycorine. The African blood lily (Scadoxus spp.) and Asian poison bulb (Crinum asiaticum) are used as fish/arrow poison or emetic to induce vomiting, respectively. The purified Amaryllidaceae alkaloid galantamine is a drug that alleviates symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Galantamine prevents the brain from breaking down acetylcholine, which is crucial for the maintenance of cognition and memory.

Many Amaryllidaceae plants are erroneously called 'lily' in their common name. True lilies belong to the Lilium genus of the family Liliaceae. There used to be a lot of taxonomic confusion and debate over the two families. As a rule of thumb, Amaryllidaceae almost always have bulbs, but Liliaceae often have tubers and rhizomes. Liliaceae flowers are hypogynous (ovary above the calyx); Amaryllidaceae flowers are epigynous (ovary below the calyx). Amaryllidaceae currently consists of three subfamilies, i.e., Allioideae (chives, garlic and onion), Agapanthoideae (lily of the Nile), and Amaryllidaceae (the rest).

The African blood lily (Scadoxus multiflorus) is one of the most poisonous Amaryllidaceae plants based on traditional accounts. It causes death to animals which graze on its foliage. Its bulbs are used by local people as fish poison (other accounts as arrow poison). S.multiflorus is valued as an ornamental plant.

Pink rain lily (Zephyranthes rosea). True to its common name, the rain lily flowers profusely after heavy rain. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical gardens.

Primrose rain lily (Zephyranthes primulina)

Citron rain lily (Zephyranthes citrina)

Zephyranthes citrina, flower lateral view.

Rain lily horticulture cultivar 'Jacala Red'. Possibly a cross between Zephyranthes citrina X Zephyranthes rosea or Zephyranthes grandiflora.

Zephyranthes hort. 'Jacala Red', flower lateral view.


The giant spider lily or poison bulb (Crinum asiaticum) is native to Southeast Asia. It is rich in a toxic Amaryllidaceae alkaloid called lycorine, which can cause severe nausea and vomiting. Hence, the 'poison bulb' is used traditionally as an emetic to induce vomiting. Not recommended!