Sea daffodil

Appearance

''Pancratium maritimum'' is a bulbous perennial with a long neck and glaucous, broadly linear leaves, evergreen, but the leaves often die back during hot summers. Scape to 40 centimetres. Flowers 3–15 in an umbel, up to 15 cm long, white. Corona two-thirds as long as the tepals. The flowers have a pleasing, exotic and very subtle lily scent, which only becomes apparent during still, windless summer nights that allow the delicate fragrance to become perceptible. Flowering is from August to October.

Habitat

''Pancratium maritimum'' grows on beaches and coastal sand dunes, often with much of the leaves and scapes buried in the sand. Other vernacular names are sand daffodil, sand lily and lily of St. Nicholas. The specific epithet ''maritimum'' means "of the sea".

Reproduction

''Pancratium maritimum'' is pollinated by a hawk-moth named ''Agrius convolvuli''. These insects visit the flower only when the speed of the wind is under 2 metres per second. Even if the species is pollinated in an artificial way during windy weather the pollination is not effective. ''Pancratium maritimum'' is not receptive to its own pollen and must be cross-pollinated.