Kevin D. Preuss

The Brazilian genus Griffinia Ker Gawler has about 15 species, most being fine candidates for containerized growing or growing in the shade garden (USDA zones 9 and 10), or greenhouse elsewhere. The horticultural potential of these rare amaryllids is great, in particular the blue-flowered species of Griffinia subg. Griffinia. Even in Brazil, these plants are uncommonly cultivated. The white-flowered Griffinia of subgenus Hyline seem to have evaded cultivation (at least outside of Brazil). The small, blue-flowered Griffinia are elements of the primary rainforests of eastern Brazil, where they grow in deep shade provided by the multiple layers of the canopy. Humidity levels are generally high and temperatures typically in the range of 15-30 C. Flowering periods are variable among species; plants flower freely from spring through autumn.

Working with the plants since 1995, some general observations have been made. Griffinia are easily grown, given the proper conditions; they have proven to grow well in peninsular Florida (USDA zones 8, 9 and 10). The warm, humid tropical climate of Florida is remotely similar to that of its native habitat. They grow well under about 95% shade cloth. Ideally, plants should be protected from winds and temperatures below 10C. Temperatures falling below 10C and/or exposure to cold winds result in plants quickly losing their turgidity, with the exception of G. hyacinthina. On several occasions, the collection was exposed to temperatures around 5C, and a few nights even close to 0C without long-term damage. When growing the bulbs in containers a well draining, but yet moisture-retaining soil mix should be used. The bulbs should be planted with the neck just below the surface. Plastic pots retain moisture better than do terra cotta pots, which, even here in Florida, can dry out in just hours when humidity is low.

Bulbs offset by the production of daughter bulbs arising from the basal plate (e.g. G. parviflora, G. hyacinthina, and G. liboniana) or by the production of several bulbils on root-like structures (e.g. G. espiritensis). Offsets generally require about 3-5 years to reach flowering size. With the exception of one form of G. aracensis from Bahia, the many forms of Griffinia are neither self-compatible or apomictic. Once fertilized, seed production takes about 6-8 weeks. Once the capsule splits and the seeds drop, they are usually fully mature and ready to plant. It is most common for a capsule to have only 1-2 seeds. The seeds should be placed on top of the soil, do not cover the seeds. Do not keep too moist. Germination takes about 6-8 weeks. Plants require 3-6 years to reach flowering size (perhaps longer for G.hyacinthina). The small, blue-flowered plants do not experience a dormant period. However, leaf senescence may occur. The large, blue-flowered Griffinia from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo experience cooler temperatures in the winter and can undergo a brief dormancy period in the summer heat.

The largest species, G. hyacinthina (=G. dryades), prized for its large blue/lilac and white flowers, has 10-17 flowers that are comparable in size to the flowers of the Hippeastrum gracilis forms. The plant typically bears 2-4 long petioled leaves with thick, broad, ribbed elliptic laminae. This late summer/early autumn flowering species hails from Southern Brazil and experiences slightly cooler and drier winters than most species from the north. Growing (and flowering) G. hyacinthina is, in some ways, similar to cultivating Worsleya. Patience is a requirement; like Worsleya, it takes years to bring the bulb to flowering size and may not flower regularly once mature. The cooler winters of Gainesville, Florida and withholding water for about 6 weeks mid summer seemed to help induce flowering last August. The plant bloomed for almost five weeks.

Closely related to G. hyacinthina, G. parviflora is a smaller Griffinia. This species is also late summer/early autumn flowering, but is one of the lesser-cultivated species. However, it is an elegant plant with 4-6 prominently ribbed, ovate laminae and variable number of flowers. Like G. hyacinthina, the tepals fuse into a tube and are continuous with the pericarp. The lilac flowers remain open for 3-5 days. The bulbs are slow to offset and are not reliably bloom each year here in Florida.

The Griffinia liboniana complex includes the small, blue-flowered taxa, some of which have the desirable trait of spotted leaves. This is a monophyletic group in which the phylogenetic relationships have not yet been fully resolved. The tepals are fused at the base and form a very short tube, but are not continuous with the pericarp.

Griffinia rochae from Rio de Janeiro is the smallest species of the genus and does not flower with any regularity here in Florida. Also, the bulbs are slow to offset. This little gem is also one of the lesser-cultivated species and little is know about its behavior in cultivation or the wild.

The type locality for G. aracensis is in the state of Minas Gerias; the species also occurs Bahia where it can be found grown in gardens and containers. The locals call it carícia. Unlike the type, the form from Bahia lacks spots on the lamina and has uncharacteristic undulate leaves. Not unlike the type, it has the narrowest tepals and most open form of flowers of the genus. Many small daughter bulbs arise from the basal plate, allowing a pot to fill up in just a few years. This species flowers freely from June through November, sometimes producing up to four spikes per bulb, twice a year.

Griffinia liboniana, the spotted-leaf Griffinia is most desirable for its profusely white speckled leaves. Both diploid and triploid forms of this species have been located in cultivation in Brazil. Oddly, the diploid form is more robust. The triploid forms are freer flowering than the diploid. In the three forms of G. liboniana investigated, daughter bulbs arise from the basal plate. Traub reported that this species was introduced into cultivation in Florida, USA in the earlier part of the last century. In more recent years, a form of this species has been reproduced using tissue culture and marketed as Griffinia 'Zaiza Supreme'. Another variety brought to the University of Florida in 1984 and determined as G. aff. liboniana has seeped into cultivated. A form most similar to that was tissue cultured and produced as Griffinia 'Zaiza Mega'. This form has surfaced commercially in South Florida at a few nurseries and sold under the name of Griffinia sp.

Griffinia espiritensis is the most variable species of the genus. Populations are diverse from one another in the Griffinia espiritensis group. DNA sequences generated from the ITS regions of five forms of G. espiritensis have shown that the group forms a monophyletic species. Six natural forms are currently being grown here in Florida and it is thought that more naturally occur. The two forms of G. espiritensis var. ituberae look like different species upon first glance. The large form was triploid and the small form was diploid, but the ITS sequences generated were identical. The triploid forms of G. espiritensis are vigorous plants and are considerably larger than the diploid forms.

Based upon the localities and descriptions, Ravenna's newly described species, G. paubrasilica, G. mucurina, and G. colatinensis are most likely just merely subspecies or varieties G. espiritensis. All three species occur in the range of G. espiritensis. Ravenna himself states that the leaves of G. paubrasilica are indistinguishable from G. espiritensis, but that G. paubrasilica has a smaller perigone, a character that varies within a population. The tissue cultured c.v. Griffinia 'Zaiza' appears to be a form of G. espiritensis.

Breeding efforts have been focused on the G. liboniana and G. espiritensis groups. The diversity amongst populations and varieties of G. espiritensis provides a deep genepool for breeding within this species as well as out-crossing with other species. Although G. liboniana is the "Spotted Leaf Griffinia", spotted leaves may also be found in G. aracensis and G. espiritensis as well. The characteristic of the spotted-leaf is highly variable in G. espiritensis, ranging from lacking to profusely spotted in one particular form. The flowers range in color from a soft reddish-lilac to dark blue-lilac. A highly spotted-leaf F1 of Griffinia espiritensis var. itubera with 11-12 deep lilac flowers has been selected and incorporated into the breeding program. Some infra- and interspecific crosses have been made this year involving this selection. Another F1 selection, but from G. espiritensis var. ituberae (2n=20) x G. aff. liboniana "andromeda" (2n=30), shows profuse speckling, but has not flowered. So far, wide crosses in the genus (e.g. G. hyacinthina x G. liboniana and G. parviflora x G. espiritensis) have failed. Breeding efforts have been focused on the taxa of the G. liboniana complex to develop hybrids that are more robust, more floriferous, increased number of flowers, deep color of lilac flowers and have increased spotting of the foliage. Interestingly, diploid and triploids have been successfully crossed at both the infraspecific and interspecific levels.

The following taxa are unfamiliar to cultivation. Griffinia intermedia was described in 1826, but there have not been many collections documented, at least under the name G. intermedia. Griffinia hyacinthina var. micrantha and Ravenna's new taxon G. ilheusiana both represent collections of G. intermedia. It would be a lovely species to grow, as it is larger than G. parviflora but not as large as G. hyacinthina (the two species between which it is "intermediate"). Griffinia arifolia is very rare, known only from the type specimen collected in southern Bahia more than 30 years ago (when visiting that locality, the land had been modified such that the forest was all but gone). Perhaps G. arifolia, equal in size to G. hyacinthina but with larger, auriculate leaves, is already extinct. Griffinia alba Preuss & Meerow, G. leucantha Preuss, and G. cordata Preuss & Meerow other rare, white-flowered species known only from the type localities, have not been observed in cultivation. The large, white-flowered Griffinia of subgenus Hyline occur in the semi-arid regions of northeastern and interior portions of Brazil and are not commonly cultivated. Little is known about these rare species (G. gardneriana and G. nocturna). They are nocturnal bloomers with a fragrance and the flowers, which can be up to 17-18 cm long, are ephemeral, opening in the evening and closing the next day.

Outside of Brazil the popularity of Griffinia has waned for almost one hundred years; today the popularity of this charming, but critically endangered genus is growing once again. Introductions of propagated new selections and hybrids will help stimulate interest in Griffinias and provide relief to natural populations. Such introductions must regard the germplasm rights of the country of origin.