Pima spider-lily facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pima spider-lily |
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| Hymenocallis pimana in Nabogame, Chihuahua | |
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| Genus: |
Hymenocallis
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| Species: |
pimana
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The Hymenocallis pimana, also known as the Pima spider-lily, is a special type of plant. In Spanish, it's called cebollín. This plant belongs to the Hymenocallis group, which is part of the Amaryllidaceae family. It is only found in a small mountain area called the Sierra Madre Occidental. This region stretches across the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora. Many people living there are from a native group known as the Mountain Pima or Pima Bajo.
The Pima spider-lily was first discovered near a small village called Nabogame. This village is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Yepáchic, Chihuahua, and about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the border with Sonora. This area is quite high up, around 1,800 meters (6,000 feet) above sea level.
Where the Pima Spider-Lily Lives
This plant grows in large numbers near the place where it was first found. You can often see big groups with hundreds of Pima spider-lilies, especially close to rivers and small valleys. This happens because the plant's large, green seeds usually fall right next to the parent plant. They start growing there instead of spreading far away.
Life Cycle and Flowers
The Pima spider-lily has big, beautiful white flowers that bloom in June. This is when the summer rainy season begins. The flowers stand upright and have thin outer parts, called perianth segments. They also have a noticeable cup-like center, known as a corolla. The underground bulbs of this plant look a lot like small onions.
How People Used the Pima Spider-Lily
The Pima people who live in this region have a unique history with the Pima spider-lily. They say that long ago, these bulbs were an important emergency food source. This was especially true during times of famine, when their regular crops failed and there wasn't much else to eat.
The Pima people knew that the bulbs contained natural chemicals that could be harmful. To make them safe to eat, they would boil the bulbs in a special solution. This process helped remove the harmful substances. The Pima spider-lily is the only known plant in its entire group that has ever been used as food by people.
