Amaryllid enthusiast. The difference between the Amaryllis enthusiast and the 
Amaryllid fan is that the latter is interested in other members of the family in 
addition to the genus Amaryllis. 
It is the hybrids of the genus Amaryllis with which we are mainly concerned 
in this price list. There are very few species of Amaryllis available today in properly 
identified forms, and few of these have contributed importantly to the development 
of the gorgeous modern hybrids of Holland, England and America. 
Among recent magazine articles on the Amaryllis are one by the writer of 
these notes in “Horticulture” for March, 1949, which suggests possible develop- 
ments of the Hybrid Amaryllis of the future; there are excellent Amaryllis articles 
in “The Flower Grower” magazine for October and December, 1948, the latter 
a valuable discussion of Amaryllis strains by S. Y. Caldwell; another in the February 
issue of “Organic Gardening,” and an account of the pink Amaryllis of the Ludwig 
Strain which we exhibited at the Winter Park (Fla.) Flower Show last March appeared 
in the April, 1949, number of “Home Gardening” magazine, published at New 
Orleans, with photograph, which is reproduced elsewhere in this price list. 
Brief Historial Notes 
Apparently the oldest known species of Amaryllis is the common “Florida 
Red,” a native of the Caribbean area and the adjacent mainland, Amaryllis bella- 
donna, Linn. (Hippeastern equestre). It is recorded from the botanical records 
of the 17th century, and Linnaeus listed citations definitely referring to the 
American plant which we know as the “Florida Red Amaryllis” under his name 
“Amaryllis Belladonna,” in the “Species Plantarum” or foundation work of modern 
botany, 1753. He added the species Amaryllis reginae in the second edition a 
few years later. 
As the years passed additional species of Amaryllis were discovered and 
described and some of them survived for many years in cultivation, particularly in 
England where the greatest interest in new Amaryllids was maintained for a 
century. In Dean William Herbert’s time of the 1830's, there were known a 
number of species including A. belladonna, Linn, calyptratum, psittacinum, solan- 
driflorum, ambiguum, breviflorum, vittatum, reticulatum, stylosum, reginae, rutila, 
which Herbert called bulbulosum, with many varieties described, (Vars. sub- 
barbatum, unguiculatum, fulgidum, pallidum, Simisianum, equestriforme, acumin- 
atum, pulverulentum, ignescens and crocatum). 
Some of these were involved in the earliest hybrid Amaryllis crossings reported, 
and in the last half of the 19th century came more important new species, which 
figured significantly in the development of modern hybrids. Actually, if one will 
consult the illustrations of Amaryllis in horticultural works of 40 and 50 years 
ago, one will see that excellent results had been obtained in that period and 
that generally today the best hybrids are only slightly superior to the best stock 
of the early 1900’s. All of which points to the possibilities for vast improvement 
and variations to be achieved by the hybridizer and breeder ef the future with 
all modern genetic science at his disposal. The wonders of today will be sur- 
passed in the future without fail! 
Various Amaryllis Strains 
The Hybrid Amaryllis has been one of our great American show flowers for 
many years. Whole greenhouses have been devoted to collections of the bulbs, 
and a large number of strains have come on the market at various times. 
it 
