Pancratium is a genus of African and Eurasian perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants in the Amaryllis family, subfamily AmaryllidoideaeAltervista Flora Italiana, genere Pancratium

Description

Vegetative characteristics Pancratium are perennial, bulbous, herbsPancratium in Flora of China @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2025, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=123742 with long-necked bulbsDale W. McNeal 2012, Pancratium, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=9549, accessed on February 10, 2025. and linear or ligulate, basal, sessile leaves. Generative characteristics The flowers are large, white and fragrant. The perianth tube and the corona are present. It differs from the similar Hymenocallis in its numerous seeds with a thin black skin. The loculicidal capsule fruit bears black, glossy seeds.Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2025). Flora of Mozambique: Genus page: Pancratium. https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=370, retrieved 10 February 2025 Cytology The chromosome count is 2n = 22.Oyewole, S. O. (1988). Karyotype Variation in Pancratium hirtum A. Chev. (Amaryllidaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 75(1), 218–225. https://doi.org/10.2307/2399475Sharma, A. K., & Bal, A. K. (1956). A cytological study of a few genera of Amaryllidaceae with a view to find out the basis of their phylogeny. Cytologia, 21(4), 329-352.

Taxonomy It was published by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The lectotype species Pancratium maritimum was designated in 1918.Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-u). Pancratium L. Tropicos. Retrieved February 10, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/40000386 It is placed in the tribe Pancratieae.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=8788. Accessed 10 February 2025. Etymology The name Pancratium is derived from the Greek and means "all-strength", probably referring to the strength of a plant that can tolerate extreme climates. Pancratium species often inhabit extremely dry and sandy areas. Species Many species have been published using the name Pancratium, but most have been transferred to other genera (Clinanthus, Hymenocallis, Ismene, Proiphys and Stenomesson). Only a few species are cultivated. P. maritimum and P. illyricum being the hardiest for outdoor cultivation, but shy flowering in cool areas. P. zeylanicum is sometimes grown as a hothouse container plant.

, Plants of the World Online of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew accepted 24 species in the genus:

Pancratium arabicum Sickenb. - Egypt Pancratium bhramarambae Sadas. Pancratium biflorum Roxb. - India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong Pancratium canariense Ker Gawl. - Canary Islands Pancratium centrale (A.Chev.) Traub - Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Central African Republic Pancratium donaldii Blatt. - India Pancratium foetidum Pomel - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya Pancratium illyricum L. - Corsica, Sardinia, Capri Island Pancratium landesii Traub - Oman Pancratium longiflorum Roxb. ex Ker Gawl. - India Pancratium maritimum L. - Canary Islands, Mediterranean, Caucasus Pancratium maximum Forssk. - Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman Pancratium nairii Sasikala & Reema Kumari Pancratium parvicoronatum Geerinck - Democratic Republic of the Congo to Malawi Pancratium parvum Dalzell - India Pancratium sickenbergeri Asch. & Schweinf. - Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Saudi Arabia Pancratium st-mariae Blatt. & Hallb. - India Pancratium telanganense Sadas. Pancratium tenuifolium Hochst. ex A.Rich. - tropical and southern AfricaSnijman, D.A. & Victor, J.E. 2004. Pancratium tenuifolium Hochst. ex A.Rich. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2014.1. Accessed on 2015/04/07 Pancratium tortuosum Herb. - Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia Pancratium trianthum Herb. - Sahara, Sahel Pancratium triflorum Roxb. - India, Bangladesh Pancratium verecundum Aiton - Himalayas Pancratium zeylanicum L. - India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Borneo, Java, Sulawesi, Philippines, Maluku

Additionally, further species have been recently described: Pancratium venkaiahiiPrameela, R., Padal, S. B., & Rao, M. S. (2022). A new species of Pancratium Dill. ex L.(Amaryllidaceae) from Eastern Ghats of India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 14(3), 20801-20804.

Distribution It is native to Africa, the Mediterranean, and Malesia. It has been introduced to the Azores, Bermuda, the Comoros, Great Britain, and the USA.

Ecology

Pollination ecology Pancratium tenuifolium and Pancratium maritimum is pollinated by the moth species Agrius convolvuli.Martins, D. J., & Johnson, S. D. (2013). "Interactions between hawkmoths and flowering plants in East Africa: polyphagy and evolutionary specialization in an ecological context." Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 110(1), 199-213.Martins, D. J., & Johnson, S. D. (2007). "Hawkmoth pollination of aerangoid orchids in Kenya, with special reference to nectar sugar concentration gradients in the floral spurs." American journal of botany, 94(4), 650-659.Furió-Vita, D., & Miñana, M. D. M. A. (2022). "Conceptualización del proyecto de El Bosque: Una experiencia concebida por capas: del pensamiento teórico a su representación visual." TECHNO REVIEW. International Technology, Science and Society Review/Revista Internacional de Tecnología, Ciencia y Sociedad, 11(2.2), 1-14.Kwembeya, E. G. (2021). Tracking biological footprints of climate change using flowering phenology of the geophytes: Pancratium tenuifolium and Scadoxus multiflorus. International Journal of Biometeorology, 65(4), 577-586.Kahraman, B. (2016). "İzmir ili Pancratıum maritimum L.(Amaryllidaceae)(Kum zambağı) popülasyonlarının belirlenmesi ve tozlaşma biyolojisi" (Master's thesis, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü). In Pancratium maritimum pollination by bees, namely Xylocopa violacea, Apis mellifera, and Anthophora bimaculata, has also been reported. However, it has been stated that bees are not effective pollinators of this species and that it fully depends on hawkmoths for effective pollination.Eisikowitch, D., & Galil, J. (1971). Effect of Wind on the Pollination of Pancratium maritimum L. (Amaryllidaceae) by Hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Journal of Animal Ecology, 40(3), 673–678. https://doi.org/10.2307/3444 Herbivory The moth species Brithys crini feeds on Pancratium maritimum in the larval stage.Zilli, A., PERIA, E., BALDI, G., & PAVESI, F. (2014). "The Macromoths of a coastal marsh habitat in Central Italy." Monitoring of rock partridge (Alectoris graeca) in Latium Lepidoptera italica.

Use Horticulture Pancratium zeylanicum is commonly cultivated in Asia.Government of Singapore. (n.d.). Pancratium zeylanicum. NParks Flora & Fauna Web. Retrieved February 10, 2025, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/2/2/2297 Cultural significance Plants belonging to the genus Pancratium have been found in prehistoric Cretan frescoes.

References

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