Milla

Herbs, perennial, scapose, from corms. Corm solitary, coated with membrane. Leaves 2–7, basal; blade linear, channeled to terete; veins sometimes scabrous, particularly proximally. Scapes 1 or rarely 2, persistent, terete, sometimes scabrous, particularly proximally. Inflorescences falsely umbellate, 1–30-flowered, subtended by 4 narrowly triangular bracts that do not enclose flowers in bud. Flowers sessile but appearing pedicellate, 4–15 cm; perianth salverform; tepals 6, connate basally into long, slender tube; perianth lobes white with green, pink, or blue abaxial stripes, shorter than tube; stamens 6, inserted on perianth tube, distinct; ovary superior, 3-locular, long-stipitate, stipe adnate to perianth tube on 3 angles; style usually exserted; stigma obscurely 3-lobed; pseudopedicel formed by elongate perianth tube ± enlarged around ovary. Fruits capsular, beaked by persistent style base, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds numerous, black, flattened, minutely cellularly reticulate.

Distribution

sw United States, Mexico, Central America (Guatemala).

Discussion

Species 6–7 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

Moore, H. E. Jr. 1953. The genus Milla (Amaryllidaceae–Allieae) and its allies. Gentes Herb. 8: 262–294.

Lower Taxa

Milla biflora