Sea Daffodil

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Sea Daffodil
• sea-daffodil
• Sweet Spider-lily

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pancratium maritimum var. aureum
• Pancratium angustifolium
• Pancratium aegyptiacum
• Pancratium linosae
• Pancratium maritimum f. barcinonense
• Pancratium carolinianum
• Pancratium mirennae
• Pancratium abchasicum
• Pancratium barcinonense
• Hymenocallis ruizii
• Hymenocallis maritima
• Hymenocallis caroliniana

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it follows the order Asparagales and is a member of the family Amaryllidaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Pancratium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across various coastal regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, its presence can be found as far north as Great Britain. Moving toward Southwestern Europe, it is widely distributed across the islands of the Baleares and Corse. The species also inhabits the mainland territories of France. Furthermore, its range extends along the Atlantic coast into Portugal.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Pancratium maritimum is characterized by its specialized adaptation to coastal environments, where it primarily inhabits sandy substrates and shorelines. This species thrives in low-lying maritime zones, maintaining a specific elevational range that begins at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extends only slightly inland to a maximum of 30 m AMSL. By occupying these shifting sand habitats, the plant has evolved to withstand the unique stresses of littoral ecosystems, including high salinity and unstable soil conditions.

Elevational range max:

30 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

sand, shores

Life history

The life history of Pancratium maritimum is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its coastal habitats over multiple years. As a plant adapted to survive fluctuating environmental conditions, it functions as a geophyte, storing essential nutrients and moisture within underground structures to sustain its growth cycles. This survival strategy is further categorized by its classification as a cryptophyte, meaning its vital regenerative organs are protected beneath the soil surface, shielding them from the harsh, saline, and often arid conditions of its natural environment.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pancratium maritimum is characterized by a growth form consisting of a non-woody herb and forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, and it maintains an independent lifestyle as it is not a parasite. In terms of its ecological niche, it is a terrestrial species rather than an aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic one. The plant typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 0.6 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pancratium maritimum is characterized by specialized adaptations to its coastal environment, particularly through its distinct leaf morphology and metabolic processes. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation. Its foliage is defined by a linear leaf form, exhibiting a degree of succulence that aids in moisture retention. The leaves vary in size, with a minimum length of 25 cm reaching up to a maximum of 40 cm, while the width remains relatively narrow and consistent, ranging from a minimum of 1.2 cm to a maximum of 1.3 cm.

Leaf form :

linear

Leaf length max:

40 cm

Leaf length min:

25 cm

Leaf width max:

1.3 cm

Leaf width min:

1.2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

yes

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pancratium maritimum is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers arranged in an umbel inflorescence. These white flowers, which measure between 3.5 cm and 5 cm in length, typically bloom during the month of August. The plant relies on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome, and self-fertilization is notably absent. Following successful pollination, the plant develops a dehiscent capsule fruit that measures approximately 3 cm to 4 cm in length and 2 cm to 3 cm in width. Each capsule is highly productive, containing a large number of seeds ranging from 101 to 1000 per fruit. The seeds themselves vary in size, with lengths between 13 mm and 16 mm and widths between 9 mm and 12 mm, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.0439858335 g (ranging from 0.0374 g to 0.0483 g). Dispersal of the seeds occurs through both hydrochorous (water) and anthropochorous (human) syndromes, facilitating the spread of the species across its habitat.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

5 cm

Flower length min:

3.5 cm

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

4 cm

Fruit length min:

3 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

3 cm

Fruit width min:

2 cm

Inflorescence :

umbel

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length max:

16 mm

Seed length min:

13 mm

Seed mass max:

0.0483 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0439858335 g

Seed mass min:

0.0374 g

Seed width max:

12 mm

Seed width min:

9 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Pancratium maritimum has 14 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include lycorine, Pancratistatin, Haemanthamine, Haemanthidine, Hippeastrine.

lycorine

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Genetica

Pancratistatin

1. BMC plant biology
2. Journal of natural products

Haemanthamine

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Haemanthidine

1. Dr. Duke

Hippeastrine

1. Dr. Duke

Homolycorine

1. Dr. Duke

Hordenine

1. Dr. Duke

Lycorenine

1. Dr. Duke

Pancracine

1. Dr. Duke

Pancratine

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Pancratium maritimum has 46 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analeptic, Analgesic, Antiacetylcholinesterase, Antialzheimeran, Antiasthmatic.

Analeptic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiacetylcholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke

Antialzheimeran

1. Dr. Duke

Antiasthmatic

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Antibutylcholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke

Anticholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke

Antidiarrheic

1. Dr. Duke

Antifeedant

1. Dr. Duke