Worsleya

Taxobox
name = "Worsleya rayneri"


image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Worsleya" illustration
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo = Asparagales
familia = Amaryllidaceae
genus = "Worsleya"
species = "W. rayneri"
binomial = "Worsleya rayneri"
synonyms = *"Worsleya procera"

The genus "Worsleya" contains only one species - "Worsleya rayneri". It's one of the largest (around 1.5 meters high) and rarest members in the "Amaryllidaceae" family. "Worsleya" is a tropical plant. This species is also known as "Worsleya procera" or The Empress of Brazil because its origin is in South America, Brazil.

It grows in very extreme and moist environments. Near waterfalls on soil which is rich of granite (that's why sometimes it's considered as lithophyte) and sunny places. However, it's very hard for cultivation. It has a plenty of needs, although it may surprises sometimes with great hardiness. It has many ornamental traits.

The plant has a large bulb which produces high stem with green bent down leaves. The "Worsleya" has really beautiful and spectacular blooms. They are large, lilac to blue colored with small freckles on them. The seeds which the plant produces are black and semicircular. The enthusiasts know that they has to be sowed in pumice or sometimes in Sphagnum but in the second case the threat of decaying is bigger.