Scadoxus nutans | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
Subfamily: | Amaryllidoideae |
Genus: | Scadoxus |
Species: | S. nutans |
Binomial name | |
Scadoxus nutans | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Scadoxus nutans is a herbaceous plant endemic to southwest Ethiopia. Its red to pink flowers face downwards as the top of the flowering stem bends over, unlike any of the other species of Scadoxus. It grows mainly as an epiphyte in tropical mountain forests, which are disappearing, making the species vulnerable to extinction. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Scadoxus nutans grows from a rhizome, with growth occurring mainly in spring and autumn. [3] The whole plant is usually 30–50 cm (12–20 in) tall, occasionally as high as 1 m (3 ft). [4] The overlapping bases of the leaf stalks (petioles) form a false stem or pseudostem, which emerges from the side of last year's pseudostem. [3] The pseudostem is green, marked with brown spots, and is about 25–40 cm (10–16 in) long. The narrow leaf blades have wavy edges and spread out from the pseudostem, being up to 40 cm (16 in) long and 8 cm (3 in) wide. [4]
The flowers are borne on a leafless stalk (scape), which is bent over during flowering so that the flowers face downwards. no other species of Scadoxus has similarly nodding flowers. [3] The umbel of 2–30 flowers has a dense brush-like appearance and is surrounded by a number of bracts, which persist until fruiting occurs. Individual flowers are carried on short stems (pedicels), less than 1 cm (0.4 in) long, and have red to pink tepals, fused at the base for about 8 mm (0.3 in) with narrow free segments up to 20 mm (0.8 in) long. [4] [5] When the flowers fade and fruits are formed, the scape straightens, so that the ripe red berries, about 15 mm (0.6 in) long, are held upright. The sticky seeds are elongated, about 10 mm (0.4 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. All other species of Scadoxus have ovoid or spherical seeds. [3] [4]
The species was first described in 1971 by Ib Friis and Inger Bjørnstad, being initially placed in the genus Haemanthus . [4] In 1976, the same two authors (the latter under a different surname) transferred the species to Scadoxus as part of their segregation of the two genera. [5] The specific epithet nutans refers to the nodding umbel of flowers. [4]
Scadoxus nutans is an Ethiopian endemic. It is found in the Kaffa and Illubabor regions in the southwest of the country. It occurs only in evergreen mountain forests, between 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and 2,500 m (8,200 ft) in elevation. Although occasionally found growing on the ground, it grows mainly as an epiphyte, with no apparent preference for the host species of tree. [4]
Scadoxus nutans is described as "vulnerable" as the mountain forest on which it depends is continually being lost through changes of land use. The Ethiopian Tree Fund Foundation (ETFF) is endeavouring to maintain and restore native forest by working with local farmers. [4]
Scadoxus nutans can be cultivated where the necessary temperature can be maintained in the winter (at least 10 °C (50 °F)). In a pot it requires a very open, coarse organic growing medium. Jonathan Hutchinson, the UK National Plant Collection holder for Scadoxus, recommends the addition of lumps of tree fern stem. Pests are those of Scadoxus generally. [3]
The genus Scadoxus is known to have some strongly toxic species, containing poisonous alkaloids. These are lethal to animals, such as sheep and goats, that graze on the plants. Other species of Scadoxus have been used in parts of tropical Africa as components of arrow poisons and fishing poisons. [6]
Carduus nutans, with the common names musk thistle, nodding thistle, and nodding plumeless thistle, is a biennial plant in the daisy and sunflower family Asteraceae. It is native to regions of Eurasia.
Chlorophytum comosum, usually called spider plant or common spider plant due to its spider-like look, also known as spider ivy, airplane plant, ribbon plant, and hen and chickens is a species of evergreen perennial flowering plant of the family Asparagaceae. It is native to tropical and Southern Africa but has become naturalized in other parts of the world, including Western Australia and Bangladesh. Chlorophytum comosum is easy to grow as a houseplant because of its resilience, but it can be sensitive to the fluoride in tap water, which commonly gives it "burnt tips". Variegated forms are the most popular.
Haemanthus is a Southern African genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. Members of the genus are known as blood lily and paintbrush lily. There are some 22 known species, native to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini. About 15 species occur in the winter rainfall region of Namaqualand and the Western Cape, the remainder being found in the summer rainfall region, with one species Haemanthus albiflos occurring in both regions.
Scadoxus puniceus, commonly known as the paintbrush lily, is a species of bulbous plant. It is native to much of southern and eastern Africa: Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), and South Africa. Scadoxus puniceus can be found in cool, shady habitat such as ravines and forests, where it is often found in moist leaf litter. Other common names include snake lily, royal paintbrush, King-of-Candida, African blood lily (English), rooikwas (Afrikaans), isisphompho, and umgola (Zulu). There are nine species of Scadoxus of which three, S. puniceus, S. multiflorus and S.membranaceus, occur in South Africa.
Allium platycaule is a species of wild onion known as broadstemmed onion or flat-stem onion. It is native to northeastern California, south-central Oregon and northwestern Nevada. It is found on slopes of elevations of 1500–2500 m.
Scadoxus is a genus of African and Arabian plants in the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. The English names blood lily or blood flower are used for some of the species. The genus has close affinities with Haemanthus. Species of Scadoxus are grown as ornamental plants for their brilliantly coloured flowers, either in containers or in the ground in frost-free climates. Although some species have been used in traditional medicine, they contain poisonous alkaloids.
Scadoxus cyrtanthiflorus is a herbaceous plant endemic to the Rwenzori Mountains of east tropical Africa. Unusually for the genus Scadoxus its tubular blooms are pendant. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant in heated greenhouses.
Persoonia nutans, commonly known as the nodding geebung, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to part of the Sydney region in New South Wales. It is an erect to spreading shrub with linear leaves and yellow flowers on down-turned pedicels.
Leichhardtia suaveolens, synonym Marsdenia suaveolens, commonly known as the scented milk vine, is a small vine found in New South Wales, Australia. It is found in a variety of habitats in relatively high rainfall areas, from Bega to Port Macquarie. The original specimen was collected at Sydney on 11 May 1802.
Roscoea schneideriana is a perennial herbaceous plant found in China, in Tibet, Sichuan and Yunnan. Most members of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), to which it belongs, are tropical, but R. schneideriana, like other species of Roscoea, grows in much colder mountainous regions.
Scadoxus multiflorus is a bulbous plant native to most of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia to South Africa. It is also native to Arabian Peninsula and to the Seychelles. It is naturalized in Mexico and in the Chagos Archipelago.It is also found in Indian peninsula. It is grown as an ornamental plant for its brilliantly coloured flowers, either in containers or in the ground in where the climate is suitable. There are three recognized subspecies. Strongly toxic like other Scadoxus species, it has been used as a component of arrow poisons and fishing poisons, as well as in traditional medicine. Common names, some of which are used for other species, include blood lily, ball lily, fireball lily, blood flower, Katherine-wheel, oxtongue lily, poison root and powderpuff lily.
Allium nutans, English common name Siberian chives or blue chives, is a species of onion native to European Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Asiatic Russia. It grows in wet meadows and other damp locations.
Scadoxus cinnabarinus is a herbaceous plant from tropical rainforest in Africa. It is native to Western and Central Africa from Sierra Leone in the far west to Angola in the south. It has been reported from Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Niger, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé, Zaire, Uganda, and Angola.
Scadoxus membranaceus is a flowering plant in the Amaryllidaceae family. It is a bulbous plant from South Africa. The smallest of the species of Scadoxus, it is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental plant where a minimum temperature of 5 °C (41 °F) can be maintained.
Scadoxus pole-evansii, commonly known as the Inyanga fireball, is a herbaceous plant endemic to mountains in east Zimbabwe. It was only discovered for science in 1960. Similar in many respects to the more widely grown Scadoxus multiflorus, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Scadoxus pseudocaulus is a herbaceous plant native to Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Gabon. Similar in many respects to Scadoxus cinnabarinus, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant but has proved reluctant to flower.
Hatiora herminiae is a species of flowering plant in the tribe Rhipsalideae, family Cactaceae. It grows as an epiphyte in cloud forests in Southeast Brazil.
Maianthemum amoenum is a perennial flowering plant, growing as an epiphyte on trees in cloud forests from Mexico south to Honduras.
Maianthemum monteverdense is a perennial flowering plant of restricted distribution. It grows as an epiphyte on trees in high cloud forests of 1600 m + elevation from Nicaragua to Costa Rica.
Maianthemum gigas is a perennial flowering plant. It is found in Mexico and Central America, growing in forest openings and along roadsides or sometimes as an epiphyte on trees.