Greek leucos – white, ion – violet, referring to the subtle fragrance of the flowers.
Small, clump-forming bulbous herbs. Leaves thin to broad, initially enclosed by a membranous sheath. Flower cluster of 1-5 flowers on a stalk that is either thin and solid, or thick and hollow. Spathe bracts 2. Perianth white, nodding, occasionally tinged pink, perianth segments free or shortly united, often tipped green or yellow. Stamens opening by terminal pores. Ovary sometimes with a lobed disk.
Grown, sometimes in pots, for the Snowdrop-like flowers, mostly in cooler districts.
Offsets.
Snowdrop-like but the inner and outer perianth whorls similar.
10-11 species Mediterranean to NW Africa and SW Asia.
Stern (1956), Elliott (1992).
Source: (2005). Amaryllidaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.