Paposoa laeta is the only species of the monotypic genus Paposoa in the family Amaryllidaceae endemic to northern and central Chile.
Paposoa laeta is a bulbous, over 10 cm tall plant with ovoid, tunicate bulbs bearing flat, linear, 30âÂÂ60 cm long, and 5âÂÂ9 mm wide leaves.
The inflorescence with a hollow, 10âÂÂ30 cm long, and 2âÂÂ4 mm wide scape bears 1âÂÂ7 violet to purple, zygomorphic flowers. The flowers have 6 tepals. The androecium consists of 6 stamens. The gynoecium consists of 3 carpels. The trilocular capsule fruit bears flat, shiny, black seeds.
The chromosome count is 2n = 16.
It was described as Rhodophiala laeta by Rodolfo Amando Philippi in 1860. A new genus Eremolirion was described by Nicolás GarcÃÂa Berguecio in 2019, but due to confusion with the similarly named Eremiolirion (Tecophilaeaceae), a new genus Paposoa and species Paposoa laeta was required and published by GarcÃÂa in 2020. Within the tribe Hippeastreae, it is placed in the subtribe Traubiinae.
The generic name Paposoa refers to Paposo, Chile. The specific epithet laeta means bright,
It occurs in the Atacama and Antofagasta regions, where it is found in desert and desert fog oases (Lomas).
It has a restricted habitat and distribution.