Caliphruria
Encyclopedia
Caliphruria is a genus of herbaceous
, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae
, subfamily Amaryllidoideae). It consists of four species
distributed in tropical regions of South America, three of them are endemic to Colombia. This genus is closely related with the genera Eucharis
and Urceolina, all of them known as "Amazon Lilies". The species of Caliphruria are infrequent in nature.
s are fused at their bases forming a straight perianth
tube and the six stamen
s of the androecium are more or less fused developing an "staminal cup". Seeds
are turgid, with a lustrous, usually black, testa.
by extinction; and Caliphruria tenera is considered to be extinct.
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
, perennial and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae
Amaryllidaceae
Amaryllidoideae is the subfamily of flowering plants that takes its name from the genus Amaryllis. It is part of the family Amaryllidaceae, in order Asparagales...
, subfamily Amaryllidoideae). It consists of four species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
distributed in tropical regions of South America, three of them are endemic to Colombia. This genus is closely related with the genera Eucharis
Eucharis
-Organisms:* Eucharis , a genus of ants* Eucharis , a genus of monocotyledons* a lapsus for the bee genus Epicharis* an invalid name for the bivalves genus Basterotia* an invalid name for the ctenophore genus Cabira...
and Urceolina, all of them known as "Amazon Lilies". The species of Caliphruria are infrequent in nature.
Description
Members of Caliphruria have petiolate leaves with a distinctive cuticular striation and white flowers with the shape of a funnel. The six tepalTepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s are fused at their bases forming a straight perianth
Perianth
The term perianth has two similar but separate meanings in botany:* In flowering plants, the perianth are the outer, sterile whorls of a flower...
tube and the six stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s of the androecium are more or less fused developing an "staminal cup". Seeds
SEEDS
SEEDS is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies Act of India....
are turgid, with a lustrous, usually black, testa.
Species
The list of Caliphruria species, with their complete scientific name and authority, is given below.- Caliphruria hartwegiana Herb., distributed in North West ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. - Caliphruria korsakoffii (Traub) Meerow, from North Central PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. (syn.: Eucharis korsakoffii Traub.) - Caliphruria subedentata BakerJohn Gilbert BakerJohn Gilbert Baker was an English botanist.Baker was born in Guisborough, the son of John and Mary Baker and educated at Quaker schools in Ackworth and York....
, from North West Colombia. - Caliphruria tenera Baker, from Colombia (CundinamarcaCundinamarca Department- Origin of the name :The name of Cundinamarca comes from Kundur marqa, an indigenous expression, probably derived from Quechua. Meaning "Condor's Nest", it was used in pre-Columbian times by the natives of the Magdalena Valley to refer to the nearby highlands....
).
Distribution and habitat
The genus is restricted in distribution to the Cordillera Occidental and Cordillera Central of Colombia. The species of Caliphruria are rain forest geophytes adapted to the low light conditions of the forest understory.Conservation status
Many of the species of the genus are endangered. Caliphruria korsakoffii, from Peru, is very infrequent; Caliphruria hartwegiana and Caliphruria subedentata are threatenedThreatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
by extinction; and Caliphruria tenera is considered to be extinct.