Alstroemeria En. Alstroemeria; Lily-of-the-Inca, Peruvian lily; Fr. Alstremere; Ge. Alstroemerie

Alstroemeria species, along with their improved cultivars and hybrids, have become important cut flowers in recent years. ^{1 , 5 , 18} Greenhouse-grown or found in gardens where the winters are mild and summers are cool, this herbaceous perennial produces tall slender stems which terminate with red, pink, purple, yellow, or white flowers. ¹⁵ It is a member of the family Alstroemeriaceae, formerly Amaryllidaceae. ¹⁶ There are up to 60 species, all native to South America (Chile, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina) with Chile as the center of distribution. ¹⁶ The exact number of species is not well defined due to similarities with Bromarea, a closely related genus. ^{16 , 19} Most of the species are endemic to very restricted areas. ¹⁶ Alstroemeria aurantiaca D. Don ex Sweet, A. haemantha Ruitz Pav., A. ligtu L., A. pelegrina L., A. violocea Phil., and A. pulchra Sims have been the primary contributors to the interspecific hybrids available commercially along with mutations of these hybrids. ^{1 , 10 , 15}