Pamianthe is a genus of South American bulbous perennials in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. They can be found in sandy, but rocky areas in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis
Description
Generative characteristics The plants produce umbels of large, fragrant white flowers in the spring. They resemble daffodils, hence the common name Peruvian daffodil for at least one of the species. Pamianthe pollen grains are large and the surface structure is coarsely reticulate.Meerow, A. W., & Dehgan, B. (1988). Pollen Morphology of the Eucharideae (Amaryllidaceae). American Journal of Botany, 75(12), 1857–1870. https://doi.org/10.2307/2444740 The winged, flattened seeds of Pamianthe have a brownish-black seed coat.Meerow, A. W., & Dehgan, B. (1985). The Auriculate Pollen Grain of Hymenocallis quitoensis Herb. (Amaryllidaceae) and its Systematic Implications. American Journal of Botany, 72(4), 540–547. https://doi.org/10.2307/2443586
Taxonomy It was published by Otto Stapf in 1933. The type species is Pamianthe peruviana . It is placed in the tribe Clinantheae.USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2025. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomygenus?id=8780. Accessed 5 March 2025. Etymology The genus name Pamianthe honours Major Albert Pam who imported plants to the United Kingdom in 1928. Species , Plants of the World Online accepts three species: Pamianthe ecollis Silverst., Meerow & Sánchez-Taborda – Colombia (Cauca) Pamianthe parviflora Meerow – Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe) Pamianthe peruviana Stapf (syn. Pamianthe cardenasii) (Peruvian Daffodil) – Peru, Bolivia (Cochabamba)
Formerly included, search for "Pamianthe" see Leptochiton Pamianthe andreana - Leptochiton quitoensis Pamianthe quitoensis - Leptochiton quitoensis
Conservation Pamianthe peruviana is believed to be extinct in the wild.Kew's iconic Orchid festival returns for 2025 celebrating the spectacular flora and fauna of Peru. (2024, September 12). Kew. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://www.kew.org/about-us/press-media/orchids-2025-announcement Pamianthe parviflora is classified as vulnerable (VU).Oleas, N. & Pitman, N. 2003. Pamianthe parviflora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2003: e.T42808A10754194. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2003.RLTS.T42808A10754194.en. Accessed on 25 November 2024.
Ecology Pollination The flowers may possibly be moth-pollinated.Meerow, A. W. (2010). Convergence or reticulation? Mosaic evolution in the canalized American Amaryllidaceae. Diversity, phylogeny and evolution in the monocotyledons, 145-168.
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