Crocosmia aurea

Crocosmia aurea
Crocosmia aurea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Subfamily: Ixioideae
Tribe: Ixieae
Genus: Crocosmia
Species: C. aurea
Binomial name
Crocosmia aurea
(Pappe ex Hook.) Planch.
Synonyms
  • Tritonia aurea Pappe ex Hook., Bot. Mag. 73: t. 4335 (1847).
  • Babiana aurea (Pappe ex Hook.) Klotzsch, Allg. Gartenzeitung 19: 293 (1851).[1]

Crocosmia aurea, common name Falling Stars, Valentine Flower, or Montbretia, is a perennial flowering plant belonging to the family Iridaceae.

Contents

Etymology

The genus name is derived from the Greek words krokos, meaning "saffron", and osme, meaning "odor", as dried leaves of these plants, when immersed in hot water, emit a strong smell similar to saffron. The species Latin name aurea, meaning “golden”, refers to the bright colour of the flowers.

Description

Crocosmia aurea reaches on average 12 decimetres (47 in) in height. It grows from basal underground corms with long stolons. The basal, alternate leaves are cauline, linear, with a distinct midvein and entire margins, about 20–30 millimetres (0.79–1.2 in) wide. At the end of the flower stalk they have colourful branched inflorescences of bright orange to red flowers, reaching on average 40 millimetres (1.6 in) in diameter. The flowering period extends from June through August. The fruit is a capsule, with small blackish and round seeds. The plant can also be propagated by dividing the clumps of corms, fleshy underground stems similar to bulbs.

Distribution

Crocosmia aurea is native to the grasslands of Cape Floristic Region (South Africa) and can be found in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Swaziland, Mozambique and Malawi.

Habitat

Usually these plants live in large colonies in shady forests and in banks of the rivers. They prefer moist habitats, at an altitude of 0–2,000 metres (0–6,600 ft) above sea level..

Gallery

  • Plant of Crocosmia aurea

  • Flower of Crocosmia aurea

  • Flower of Crocosmia aurea

  • Leaves of Crocosmia aurea

  • Fruits of Crocosmia aurea


References

  1. ^ Synonyms in Kew Royal Botanic Gardens

External links


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