Ismene amancaes | |
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Flower close-up. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
Subfamily: | Amaryllidoideae |
Genus: | Ismene |
Species: | I. amancaes
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Binomial name | |
Ismene amancaes | |
Ismene amancaes is endemic to Peru [1] | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Ismene amancaes, commonly called amancae or amancay, [2] [3] is a herbaceous plant species in the family Amaryllidaceae and native to the coastal hills of Peru.
I. amancaes is a species with spherical bulbs 3.5–5 cm in diameter. [4] [5] The leaves are strap-shaped, 25–50 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide, bright green. [4] [5] The 2–6 yellow pedicellate flowers are borne at the end of a scape up to 33 cm long. [4] The floral tube is greenish yellow, 5–7.5 cm long, bearing at the end the tepals, which are linear to narrowly lanceolate, 6–7.5 cm long, with green tips. [4] [6] The floral corona is funnel-shaped, yellow with green stripes, 5–6 cm long, 6–8.5 cm wide, bearing the stamens facing inwards. [4] [6] [5]
Endemic to Peru, Ismene amancaes inhabits coastal hills up to 1500 m of elevation, especially near the city of Lima, as part of the lomas ecosystem. [6] [7] [5] [8]
It is reported that I. amancaes contains the alkaloids galantamine [9] and narcissidine. [10]
Remains of I. amancaes have been found in archaeological sites near the city of Lima. [11]
The flowering of this species was the subject of a festival ("Festival de Amancaise") celebrated in June in Lima, until the first half of the 1800s. [12] In a place among the hills surrounding Lima, people from the city gathered annually to celebrate the flowering of the plant in a festival with music and dance, similar to May Day. [12] The festival attracted people from all classes of the society then, while a common sight was people sporting the flowers in their garments. [12]
I. amancaes is considered an endangered species by the IUCN since 1997. [13]
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