Plagiolirion is a monotypic genus in the family Amaryllidaceae endemic to Colombia. It has only one known species, Plagiolirion horsmannii, which is rare in the wild and was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in the RÃÂo Cauca Valley in 1989.
Plagiolirion horsmannii is a bulbous, perennial herb with subglobose or ovoid, tunicate, 5âÂÂ6 cm long, and 5âÂÂ5.5 cm wide bulbs with fleshy roots. The bulbs have offsets at the base.
The scapose, umbellate inflorescences with a terete, solid, erect, glaucous green, 49âÂÂ66 cm long, and 0.5 cm wide scape, bears 10âÂÂ41 white, zygomorphic, inodorous, protrandrous, pedicellate, 2.5âÂÂ3 cm long, and 3âÂÂ4 cm wide flowers. The thin pedicels are 1.5âÂÂ2 cm long.
The diploid chromosome number of Plagiolirion horsmannii is 2n = 46.
The genus and species were first described by John Gilbert Baker in 1883. The genus is placed in the tribe Eucharideae.
The generic name Plagiolirion, from plagios meaning 'oblique' and leirion meaning 'lily', is derived from the floral morphology. The specific epithet horsmannii honours Fred Horsman, who imported the species to Colchester, United Kingdom.
It occurs in the Colombian Andes.