red magic lily

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• hurricane lily
• red magic lily
• red spider lily
• red spider-lily

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lycoris radiata var. terraccianii
• Nerine japonica alba
• Amaryllis radiata
• Lycoris radiata var. pumila
• Lycoris terracianii
• Lycoris radiata var. kazukoana
• Lycoris radiata f. bicolor
• Nerine japonica
• Nerine radiata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Amaryllidaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Lycoris.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several distinct regions of the world. Within East Asia, it can be found growing in the diverse environments of Japan. Its presence is also heavily concentrated in China, spanning the North-Central, South-Central, and Southeast territories. Beyond the Asian continent, the species extends its reach to the Western Indian Ocean. Specifically, it is known to inhabit the islands of the Seychelles.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Lycoris radiata is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a geophyte, it survives unfavorable environmental conditions by retreating into specialized underground storage organs, such as bulbs, which remain dormant until conditions are optimal for regrowth. This survival strategy is further supported by its status as a cryptophyte, meaning its essential regenerative parts are protected beneath the soil surface, shielding the plant from external stressors such as extreme temperatures or drought.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lycoris radiata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically categorized as a forb. This plant is entirely terrestrial in its habitat, functioning as an independent organism that does not exhibit parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. Structurally, it is a self-supporting plant, lacking any climbing or vining mechanisms such as lianas or tendrils, and instead relying on its own physiological rigidity to maintain its upright stature.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lycoris radiata is characterized by a specialized metabolic framework optimized for its seasonal growth cycle, driven primarily by a C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, it utilizes the Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide through the enzyme RuBisCO, a process that is highly efficient under the temperate, moist conditions typically found in its natural habitat. This photosynthetic strategy dictates its energy acquisition patterns, where carbon fixation occurs directly within the mesophyll cells without the spatial or temporal separation seen in C4 or CAM species. The plant's physiological rhythm is heavily influenced by its bulbous storage organs, which serve as vital sinks for photoassimilates produced during the leaf stage. These reserves support the rapid mobilization of nutrients required for the emergence of its distinctive floral structures, ensuring that reproductive efforts are fueled by stored starch during periods when active photosynthesis may be limited by seasonal shifts.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lycoris radiata has 50 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include galanthamine, lycorine, Lycorenine, CK, Hippeastrine.

galanthamine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
3. Genetics and molecular research : GMR
4. Microbiological research
5. Journal of chromatography. A

lycorine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Genetics and molecular research : GMR
3. Influenza and other respiratory viruses
4. Pest management science
5. Science China. Chemistry

Lycorenine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
3. Japanese journal of pharmacology

CK

1. BMC plant biology
2. Frontiers in plant science

Hippeastrine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Influenza and other respiratory viruses

Homolycorine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Pseudolycorine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

STARCH

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology

Tazettine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

11-O-Acetylhaemanthamine

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Activities

Lycoris radiata has 75 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiviral, Absorbent, Acetylcholinergic, Aggregant, Analeptic.

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Influenza and other respiratory viruses

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Aggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Analeptic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiacetylcholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke

Antialcoholic

1. Dr. Duke

Antialzheimeran

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Lycoris radiata has 15 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, COVID-19, H5N1, angiogenesis, bacteria.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Microbiological research
2. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Covid-19

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

H5n1

1. Influenza and other respiratory viruses

Angiogenesis

1. Science China. Chemistry

Bacteria

1. Science China. Chemistry

Blood pressure

1. Japanese journal of pharmacology

Coronavirus

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Heart rate

1. Japanese journal of pharmacology

Inflammation

1. Science China. Chemistry

Influenza virus type a

1. Influenza and other respiratory viruses

Preparations

Lycoris radiata has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include bulbs, 70% ethanol extract of the bulbs of Lycoris radiata, bulb of lycoris radiata, ultrasonic-assisted extraction.

Bulbs

1. Influenza and other respiratory viruses
2. Fitoterapia

70% ethanol extract of the bulbs of lycoris radiata

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Bulb of lycoris radiata

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction

1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences