Gloriosa
A striking delicate flower that I first saw on hikes in the Sahyadri hills near Pune. Apparently all parts of this plant are toxic enough to cause fatalities in humans and animals if eaten.
| Botanical name | Gloriosa superba |
| English names | flame lily, climbing lily, creeping lily, glory lily, gloriosa lily, tiger claw, fire lily |
| Nederlandse naam | Klimlelie, prachtlelie |
| Indian names | Hindi: Agnishikha, Kalihari |
Characteristics
| Native habitat | Tropical Africa, Madagascar, India, China, Malaysia | |||
| Plant Type | herb, climber | |||
| Bloom time | Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct | Fall color | – | |
| Fruit | red berry-like fruits in pods | |||
| Uses | ||||
Special note
Symbolism
Gloriosa superba is the national flower of Zimbabwe (where it is a protected plant). A diamond brooch in the shape of the flame lily was a gift from Southern Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe) to Queen Elizabeth II on a visit in 1947 while she was still the crown princess. The flame lily was used on the regimental colours of the Rhodesian Light Infantry.
It is also the state flower of Tamil Nadu state in India. It is also considered the national flower of Tamil Eelam, a former de facto inside Republic of Sri Lanka.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloriosa_(plant)