Seeds of an Amaryllis L. species were collected in late November 1949 by Dr. Ernesto de Miranda Neto in Brasil in the neighborhood of Barreiras which is situated at the confluence of the upper Rio Grande and Rio Ondas near the western border of the State of Bahia. This species begins to bloom at the beginning of the summer rainy season for the region–October through November (southern hemisphere). The local names for our plant are "Flor de Trovão," which translates as "Thunder Flower," presumably because it tends to bloom at the start of the rainy season, and also "Cebola brava," or "wild onion," apparently because it is a bulbous plant. The seeds were received by the writer via air mail in late December 1949, and excellent germination was obtained. The first plants bloomed on June 22, 1952, about 2 1/2 years after germination.

The plant is related to Amaryllis belladonna L., but is sufficiently distinct to merit specific rank, and has been named Amaryllis barreirasa (pronounced bär-reé-ra-sa). The chromosome number is 2n 22 as reported elsewhere (Traub, 1953, Plate 2‑L). The flower is relatively large for the size of the rest of the plant, and there is a conspicuous paraperigone of greenish bristles at the throat. The plant blooms at the beginning of summer (June, in the northern hemisphere) whereas Amaryllis belladonna L. blooms in the spring. It is morphologically distinct and is also effectively isolated reproductively from the latter which entitles it specific rank.

Fig. 6. Amaryllis barreirasa Traub, sp. nov. [see description for dimensions]. Photo taken before pedicels had greatly elongated after anthesis.

DESCRIPTION.‑‑Chromosome number, 211 = 22 (Traub, 1953, Plate 2‑L) ; bulb medium sized; leaves up to 5, not fully developed at time of flowering in type, and may therefore not be contemporary with the flowers in the native habitat, up to 41 cm. long when mature, about 1 cm. wide at the base, 2.5 cm. wide 3/4 from base, apex acute‑rounded; peduncle 27.0 cm. tall, elongating after anthesis to 44 cm. tall, 1.2 x 2.1 cm. at base, 1 x 1.3 cm. at apex; spathe‑valves 2, free, lanceolate‑acute, 9.8‑10 cm. long; umbel 4‑flowered; pedicels reddish‑greenish, varying from very short up to 5.5 cm. at anthesis of the first flower, elongating greatly after anthesis to 14.5‑16.5 cm. long; ovary 1.2 cm. long, 5.5 mm. diam. at base, 6.5 mm. diam. at apex; tepaltube 3.1 em. long, 5 mm. diam. at base, 1.2 cm. diam. at apex; perigone wide open, almost flat, 18 cm. across face, irregular greenish‑whitish area in lower 1/3 of tepalsegs, upper portions between Begonia (RHS 619) and Porcelain Rose (RHS 620) ; paraperigone of conspicuous greenish bristles at the throat; setepalsegs obovate, 10‑10.5 cm. long, 5‑6 cm. wide; petepalsegs elliptic‑ to unguiculate‑lanceolate, 9.5‑10 cm. long, 2.5‑4 cm. wide; stamens and style decIinate‑ascending not exserted from the perigone; style extending 1.1 cm. beyond stamens; stigma capitate; capsule 2.1 cm. long, 3.9 cm. wide, distinctly trilobed, lobes extending below center by 7 mm.; seeds numerous, winged, discoid to D‑shaped, black, 1.5 x 2.2 cm. Type: Traub Nos. 210 and 211, in the Traub Herbarium; type illustration: Fig. 6.

From PLANT LIFE (HERBERTIA EDITION) 9: 54‑63; 81‑82. 1953.