Scadoxus puniceus, commonly known as the paintbrush lily,[1][2][3] 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 (the Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Northern Provinces).[4]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,[1]African blood lily (English),[2]rooikwas (Afrikaans), isisphompho, and umgola (Zulu).[3] There are nine species of Scadoxus of which three, S. puniceus, S. multiflorus (with 2 subspecies) and S.membranaceus, occur in South Africa.
The bright red, round fruits are about a centimeter wide, and each produces a single opalescent seed.
Taxonomy
The genus was named by the polymathConstantine Samuel Rafinesque, who did not explain its etymology. The name is possibly from doxus meaning "glory" or "splendour" in Ancient Greek, referring to the scarlet flowers; the prefix sca means "obscure" or "hidden", or from the Greek "skia" = shade.[3][5] One source reports the origin of the name to be unclear.[6] The species name puniceus means "reddish-purple". Previously classified as part of Haemanthus, it was separated mainly because of its stalked leaves.
Synonyms
Gyaxis puniceus(L.) Salisb.
Haemanthus fax-imperiiCufod.
Haemanthus goetzeiHarms
Haemanthus insignisHook.
Haemanthus magnificus(Herb.) Herb.
Haemanthus natalensisHook.
Haemanthus orchidifoliusSalisb.
Haemanthus puniceusL.
Haemanthus puniceus var. fortuitaHerb.
Haemanthus puniceus var. magnificusHerb.
Haemanthus redouteanusM.Roem.
Haemanthus redouteanus var. subalbusM.Roem.
Haemanthus rouperiauct.
Haemanthus superbusBaker
Cultivation
The plant is cultivated as an ornamental. It was popular in the Netherlands as early as the beginning of the 18th century.[3]
Cultivars
Some artificial hybrids between Scadoxus puniceus and S. multiflorus subsp. katherinae are known. Johannes Nicolai raised S. 'König Albert', which flowered for the first time in 1899. Although rare in cultivation, it multiplies rapidly. Of the same parentage is S. 'Andromeda', which was raised by C. G. van Tubergen around 1904.[7]
Uses
While the bulb is considered poisonous in significant amounts,[3] it is used traditionally to treat "coughs, gastro-intestinal problems, febrile colds, asthma, leprosy, sprains and bruises," and "as an antidote to poisons.'"[1] It is also used as a diuretic. The leaves are applied to sores and ulcers to aid healing and act as an antiseptic. The plant is also traditionally consumed during pregnancy as part of an herbal regime to ensure safe labour. The alkaloids in the plant include haemanthamines, haemanthidine, 6-β-hydroxycrinamine, scapunine, and scadoxucines.[1]
Du Plessis, Niel & Duncan, Graham (1989). Bulbous Plants of Southern Africa: A guide to their cultivation and propagation. Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers. ISBN978-0-624-02659-4.
Van Wyk, Ben-Erik; Van Oudtshoorn, Bosch & Gericke, Nigel (1997). Medicinal Plants of South Africa. Pretoria, South Africa: Briza Publications. ISBN978-1-875093-09-0.
Hymenocallis (US) or (UK) is a genus of flowering plants in the amaryllis family native to the Americas.
The Koninklijke Algemeene Vereniging voor Bloembollencultuur, translated from Dutch as the Royal General Association for Bulb Culture, but more commonly known world-wide by the acronym of KAVB, is a trade association for the bulb horticulture sector, and was established in 1860. The association has a rural organization, within which regional groups and departments are active.
A paintbrush is a brush used to apply paint or sometimes ink.
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.
Haemanthus coccineus, the blood flower, blood lily or paintbrush lily, is a species of flowering plant in the amaryllis family Amaryllidaceae, native to Southern Africa. Growing to 35 cm (14 in) tall and wide, it is a bulbous perennial with short brown stems surmounted by red flowers, the flowers appearing in spring and summer, before the strap-shaped leaves.
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.
Paintbrush lily is a common name for several plants and may refer to:
Blood lily is a common name for several plants and may refer to:
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.
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 longifolius is a herbaceous plant from Zaire. It is only known from a single collection, and little information is available about it. It appears to be closely related to Scadoxus cinnabarinus, and Inger Nordal and Thomas Duncan suggested in 1984 that it may not be a distinct species.
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 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 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.
Crinum macowanii is a species of flowering plant in the Amaryllidaceae family. It is a deciduous bulbous plant species native to Africa that has been used in traditional medicine throughout southern Africa.
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