Paposoa laeta is the only species of the monotypic genus Paposoa in the family Amaryllidaceae endemic to northern and central Chile.Paposoa Nic.García. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved March 8, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77210017-1
Description Vegetative characteristics Paposoa laeta is a bulbous, over 10 cm tall plant with ovoid, tunicate bulbs bearing flat,Philippi, Rodolfo Amando. (1860). Florula Atacamensis; seu, Enumeratio plantarum, quas in itinere per desertum Atacamense (p. 51). Sumptibus E. Anton. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/58827295 linear, 30–60 cm long, and 5–9 mm wide leaves. Generative characteristics The inflorescence with a hollow, 10–30 cm long, and 2–4 mm wide scape bears 1–7 violet to purple, zygomorphic flowers. The flowers have 6 tepals. The androecium consists of 6 stamens. The gynoecium consists of 3 carpels. The trilocular capsule fruit bears flat, shiny, black seeds. Cytology The chromosome count is 2n = 16.
Taxonomy It was described as Rhodophiala laeta by Rodolfo Amando Philippi in 1860. A new genus Eremolirion was described by Nicolás García Berguecio in 2019,García, N., Meerow, A. W., Arroyo‐Leuenberger, S., Oliveira, R. S., Dutilh, J. H., Soltis, P. S., & Judd, W. S. (2019). Generic classification of Amaryllidaceae tribe Hippeastreae. Taxon, 68(3), 481-498. but due to confusion with the similarly named Eremiolirion (Tecophilaeaceae), a new genus Paposoa and species Paposoa laeta was required and published by García in 2020.García, N., & Meerow, A. W. (2020). Corrigendum to: García & al., Generic classification of Amaryllidaceae tribe Hippeastreae [in Taxon 68: 481–498. 2019.] Taxon, 69(1), 208-209. Within the tribe Hippeastreae, it is placed in the subtribe Traubiinae.Garcia, N., Fuentes-Castillo, T., Roman, M. J., & Folk, R. A. (2024). Integration of genomic phylogeography, morphological variation and climatic niche reveal speciation mechanisms across southern Andean lilies (Phycella, Hippeastreae, Amaryllidaceae). Etymology The generic name Paposoa refers to Paposo, Chile.Rehbein, C. (2020, June 1). “Paposoa Nic. García” el nuevo género chileno para un tipo de plantas: tiene una sola especie llamada “añañuca rosada” que es pariente del ajo y la cebolla. Publimetro Chile. https://www.publimetro.cl/cl/noticias/2020/06/01/garcia-planta-ananuca-cebolla.html The specific epithet laeta means bright,Aloe laeta A.Berger. (n.d.). LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of Living Forms. Retrieved March 8, 2025, from https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUCCULENTS/Family/Aloaceae/12219/Aloe_laeta
Distribution and habitat It occurs in the Atacama and Antofagasta regions,Paposoa laeta. (2024, July 26). Fundación R.A. Philippi. Retrieved March 8, 2025, from https://fundacionphilippi.cl/catalogo/paposoa-laeta/ where it is found in desert and desert fog oases (Lomas).Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh & Fundación Chilco. (n.d.-b). Paposoa laeta (Phil.) Nic.García. The Endemic Plants of Chile. Retrieved March 8, 2025, from https://chileanendemics.rbge.org.uk/taxa/paposoa-laeta-phil-nic-garc%C3%ADa#biogeography
Conservation It has a restricted habitat and distribution.
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