Griffinia hyacinthina is a bulbous species of flowering plant which is endemic to Brazil.
Description Vegetative characteristics It is a bulbous, perennial,Hortus Camdenensis | Griffinia hyacinthina Ker Gawl. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2024, from http://hortuscamden.com/plants/view/griffinia-hyacinthina-ker-gawl terrestrial herb with ovate,Hartwich, C. (1897). Die neuen Arzneidrogen aus dem Pflanzenreiche. p. 166. Deutschland: J. Springer. tunicate, up to 7.5 cm wide bulbs bearing 5-7, dark green,Pharmaceutische Rundschau. p. 135. (1893). USA: Fr. Hoffmann..Rumpler, F. (1882). Zweibelgewachse. p. 359. (n.p.): (n.p.). oblong, glabrous, petiolateEdwards, Sydenham, Edwards, Sydenham, & Ridgway, James. (1815). The Botanical register :consisting of coloured figures of ... (Vol. 2). Printed for James Ridgway. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/130028 20 cm long, and 5-7 cm wide leaves with an acute or acuminate apex.Dutilh, J.H.A., Campos-Rocha, A., Garcia, N., Streher, N.S., Semir, J., Meerow, A.W., Giussani, L.M., Oliveira, R.S., Sassone, A.B. & Jardim Botânico Do Rio De Janeiro. (n.d.). Griffinia hyacinthina (Ker Gawl.) Ker Gawl. Flora E Funga Do Brasil. Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/FB4343 The leaves have a lattice-like venation. The midrib of the leaf is prominent on the underside of the leaf. Generative characteristics The up to 60 cm long umbellate inflorescence, which exceeds the leaves in its height,Nicholson, G. (1882). “The” Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening. p. 99. Vereinigtes Königreich: Verlag nicht ermittelbar. bears up to seventeen blue-violet flowers lacking fragrance.de Aguiar Silveira, R. B. (1995). "Griffinia hyacinthina (Ker-Gaw.) Ker-Gaw., Amaryllidaceae da Mata Atlântica a ser preservada." Ornamental Horticulture, 1(1), 1-1. The cylindric scape is unstreaked and turns red towards the base. The flowers have 6Edwards, S. T., Lindley, J. (1820). The Botanical Register: Consisting of Coloured Figures of Exotic Plants Cultivated in British Gardens with Their History and Mode of Treatment. p. 444. Vereinigtes Königreich: (n.p.).Zeitschrift für Bildende Gartenkunst. p. 269. (1896). Deutschland: Bodo Grundmann. 7 cm long, lanceolate tepalsAllgemeine encyklopädie der wissenschaften und künste. p. 63. (1871). Deutschland: F.A. Brockhaus. with an acute apex. The tepals are blue to violet towards the apex, but they are white at the base. The flower has 6 stamens with whitish anthers, which are shorter than the tepals. The upper stamen is erect and the other five are pointing downwards. The trilocular ovary is subglobose. The stigma is simple. The ovoid or obovoid, trivalvular capsule fruitRümpler, T. (1879). Vilmorin's illustrierte Blumengärtnerei: mit 1416 in den Text gedruckten Holzschnitten. p. 496. Deutschland: Wiegandt, Hempel & Parey. bears 1–3 rounded, dark brown, large and fleshy seeds.Griffinia | Pacific Bulb Society. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Griffinia Within Griffinia subgenus Griffinia, it has the largest flowers.Meerow, A. W., Preuss, K. D., Fernando, A., & Tombolato, C. (2000, August). "Griffinia (Amaryllidaceae), a critically endangered Brazilian geophyte with horticultural potential." In VIII International Symposium on Flowerbulbs 570 (pp. 57-64). Flowering occurs in the period of March through April. Up to five flowers may be open at the same time and they last for approximately one week.
Reproduction Generative reproduction Flower and fruit formation in its natural habitat occurs in March to April. Infructescences with 1-7 fruits are formed. Each pear-shaped fruit contains 1-3 seeds. Germination occurs within a period of 1-3 months and the seedlings reach maturity within 3-4 years. Vegetative reproduction Vegetative reproduction occurs through bulbils, which form clusters around the mother plant.
Taxonomy This species was first described in 1817 as Amaryllis hyacinthina Ker Gawl. by John Bellenden Ker Gawler. Three years later he transferred it to Griffinia as Griffinia hyacinthina (Ker Gawl.) Ker Gawl. It is the type species of its genus.Griffinia | International Plant Names Index. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2023, from https://www.ipni.org/n/330432-2
Etymology The specific epithet hyacinthina means blue-coloured.P. M. Eckel & Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://www.mobot.org/mobot/latindict/keyDetail.aspx?keyWord=hyacinthinus The flowers are hyacinthine blue.
Distribution and habitat Like related species, Griffinia hyacinthina is endemic to Brazil. It is native to the south-eastern part of the country, specifically the Atlantic Forest. It grows in a very specific habitat. It requires the warmth, deep shade and high humidity of the tropical rainforest where the floor is covered with large quantities of organic matter.
Conservation This species is endangered. It is threatened by extinction, due to habitat destruction.Kirizawa, M., LopesI, E. A., IveiraI, R. B. D. A. S., Tavares, A. R., & Kanashiro, S. "Griffinia hyacinthina (Ker Gawl.) Ker Gawl., Amaryllidaceae da Mata Atlântica, endêmica e em perigo de extinção: estudos morfológico e horticultural."
Cultivation It should be cultivated in well draining soils with a high proportion of organic material. It is a slowly growing species.The Florist and Pomologist: A Pictorial Monthly Magazine of Flowers, Fruits, and General Horticulture .... p. 280. (1870). Vereinigtes Königreich: Published at the "Journal of Horticulture" Office.
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