Author Archives: Native Plants

മേന്തോന്നി

Gloriosa superba, commonly known as the flame lily, glory lily, or climbing lily, is a striking flowering plant belonging to the Colchicaceae family. It is native to tropical Asia and Africa and is widely cultivated for its ornamental beauty and medicinal properties. Despite its attractive appearance, the plant is highly toxic due to the presence of colchicine and other alkaloids.

• Kingdom : plantae
• Clade : eudicots
• Order : Liliales
• Family : Colchicaceae
• Genus : Gloriosa
• Species : G.superba

Morphology

1. Root System:

Type: The plant possesses underground tuberous roots.

Structure: The tubers are slender, elongated, and V- or L-shaped, with each tuber having a pointed growing tip.

Function: These tubers store nutrients and help in vegetative propagation.


2. Stem:

Type: The stem is herbaceous, slender, and weak, which aids in climbing.

Climbing Mechanism: It climbs using tendrils formed from modified leaf tips.

Growth Habit: It can grow up to 3-4 meters in length.


3. Leaves:

Arrangement: Leaves are simple, alternate, or sometimes opposite.

Shape: They are lanceolate to ovate with pointed tips.

Size: Leaves are approximately 8-15 cm long and 2-5 cm wide.

Special Feature: The tips of the leaves are modified into tendrils, which help the plant cling to nearby structures for support.


4. Flowers:

Structure: The flowers are large, showy, and bisexual.

Color: They exhibit vibrant colors ranging from yellow, orange to crimson-red, often with a gradient effect.

Shape: The flowers are characterized by their reflexed (backward-curving) petals and wavy margins.

Petals: There are six tepals (petals and sepals that are similar in appearance), each about 5-7 cm long.

Stamens: The plant has six prominent stamens with long, versatile anthers.

Ovary: The ovary is superior, with a long style and a three-lobed stigma.


5. Fruit:

Type: The fruit is a capsule.

Shape: It is cylindrical to ovoid.

Size: Approximately 6-12 cm in length.

Content: The capsule contains numerous reddish seeds.


6. Seeds:

Appearance: Seeds are round and reddish-brown.

Size: They are approximately 5-8 mm in diameter.


7. Ecological Adaptations:

Climbing Ability: The tendrils at leaf tips help it climb and access sunlight.

Vibrant Flowers: The bright colors attract pollinators such as insects.


8. Medicinal and Toxic Aspects:

Medicinal Use: The plant contains colchicine, which is used in medicine, especially for gout treatment.

Toxicity: All parts of the plant, especially the tubers, are highly toxic if ingested due to alkaloids like colchicine and gloriosine.

Range

Native to:
Andaman Is., Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Benin, Borneo, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cabinda, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, Central African Republic, Chad, China South-Central, Congo, East Himalaya, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, Laccadive Is., Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Maldives, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Introduced into:
Alabama, Cook Is., Fiji, Gilbert Is., Line Is., Nauru, New South Wales, Norfolk Is., Queensland, Réunion, Santa Cruz Is., Society Is., Solomon Is., Suriname, Tokelau-Manihiki, Trinidad-Tobago, Vanuatu, Windward Is.

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