Nerine bowdenii

Nerine bowdenii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
clade:	Angiosperms
clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Amaryllidoideae
Genus:	Nerine
Species:	N. bowdenii
Binomial name
Nerine bowdenii Watson

Nerine bowdenii is a species of perennial plant. The common names of the species are Cape Flower, Guernsey Lily, and Japanese Spider Lily. The species was named in 1904 after Athelstan Hall Cornish-Bowden (1871–1942), who had sent bulbs of the plant to England from South Africa.^[1][2]

Description

The plants are 36 to 51 centimetres (14 to 20 in) tall and the bulbs are 12 to 14 centimetres (4.7 to 5.5 in) in circumference.^[3] The blossoms are pink and resemble finely cut lilies. The species grow best in heat and well-drained soil.^[4] The plant has anywhere from eight or more flowers that have a faint scent.^[5] The tips of the flowers are frilly and the leaves are strap-shaped. The leaves do not appear until spring. Because of this, the species can tolerate lower temperatures than most species in the genus.^[6] Blooming occurs in late summer and is able to tolerate drought.^[3] The stem is 46 centimetres (18 in) tall.^[7] The plants need to be planted where they cannot be disturbed for several years except for watering and bloom best when they are crowded. While the species is grown best in heat, it will not tolerate tropical or very humid weather.^[8] Plants of this species should not be moved after they are planted. They should be planted in the spring.^[9] The species is able to survive the winter. For many years, it was thought that the species is originally from Japan, but it is originally from South Africa, especially in the Drakensberg Mountains. Alun Rees, of The Daily Telegraph, said that the bulbs are shaped like old-fashioned Chianti bottles, and that colchicums and cyclamens are good choices of companion plants to grow with this species.^[2]

Biochemistry

The bulbs of Nerine bowdenii contain an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, called ungeremine which may be suitable as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Ungeremine has also been isolated from Ungernia minor, Ungernia spiralis, Zephyranthes flava, Crinum asiaticum, Crinum augustum, Pancratium maritimum and Hippeastrum solandriflorum.^[10] The bulbs also contain a number of alkaloids.^[11]

Diseases

The plant virus, vallota mosaic virus has been found to infect Nerine bowdenii and other members of the Nerine genus in the UK.^[12]

References

1. ^ Athelstan Hall Cornish-Bowden (born December 4, 1871 in Newton Abbot, Devon, England ; died December 4, 1942 in Somerset West, Cape Province, South Africa) was son of Admiral William Bowden, R.N. (1826-1896) and Elizabeth Anne Cornish (1842-1919). He was the seventh of 12 children [1]. He became a government land surveyor in South Africa, eventually rising to the post of Surveyor General of the Cape Colony. He married Lillie Cameron Muir, daughter of Sir Thomas Muir (1844-1934), mathematician and educator. In 1899 or earlier, Athelstan sent some bulbs of Nerine bowdenii to his mother in Newton Abbot, Devon, England. In 1902, she sent flowers and bulbs from the plant to Kew Herbarium with a note requesting that the species be named after her son. After some confusion, the species was named "Nerine bowdenii". [See: W. Watson, "Nerine bowdenii", The Gardeners' Chronicle, third series, vol. 36, page 365 (November 26, 1904). See also: David, J. (2008). "The Nerine bowdenii story," Report of the Proceedings of a Hardy Nerine Study Day, pages 31-41, Royal Horticultural Society Herbaceous Plant Committee and the Nerine & Amaryllid Society.]
2. ^ ^{a b} Rees, Alun (2007-09-28). "How to grow: Nerine bowdenii". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3344719/How-to-grow-Nerine-bowdenii.html. Retrieved 2010-02-09. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Nerine bowdenii". Holland Technical Service Bulletin. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/bulbs-perennial/Nerinbo.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-08. 
4. ^ Easton, Valorie; Hartlage, Richard (2002). Plant Life: Growing a Garden in the Pacific Northwest. Sasquatch Books. pp. 199. ISBN 9781570613050. http://books.google.com/books?id=lva7GoINTncC&pg=PA199&dq=Nerine+bowdenii&cd=2#v=onepage&q=Nerine%20bowdenii&f=false. 
5. ^ Will, Giles (2007). Encyclopedia of exotic plants for temperate climates. Timber Press. pp. 134. ISBN 9780881927856. http://books.google.com/?id=Bep5O7D0U34C&pg=PA135&dq=Nerine+bowdenii&cd=74#v=onepage&q=Nerine%20bowdenii&f=false. 
6. ^ Burke, Don (2005). The complete Burke's backyard: the ultimate book of fact sheets. Murdoch Books. pp. 231. ISBN 9781740457392. http://books.google.com/?id=MMMjW6AuzHAC&pg=RA2-PA231&dq=Nerine+bowdenii&cd=14#v=onepage&q=Nerine%20bowdenii&f=false. 
7. ^ Susan, Chivers (2005). Planting for Color. David & Charles. pp. 167. ISBN 9780881927856. http://books.google.com/?id=O-iUBeq_YiEC&pg=PT166&dq=Nerine+bowdenii&cd=73#v=onepage&q=Nerine%20bowdenii&f=false. 
8. ^ Urquhart, Paul (2004). Growing Bulbs. Murdoch Books. pp. 225. ISBN 9781740455206. http://books.google.com/?id=6mEl-QbOan4C&pg=PA225&dq=Nerine+bowdenii&cd=27#v=onepage&q=Nerine%20bowdenii&f=false. 
9. ^ Raven, Sarah (2001). The bold and brilliant garden. frances lincoln ltd. pp. 151. ISBN 9780711217522. http://books.google.com/?id=alLp_vhefWIC&pg=PA151&dq=Nerine+bowdenii&cd=57#v=onepage&q=Nerine%20bowdenii&f=false. 
10. ^ Rhee IK, I; Appels N, Hofte B, Karabatak B, Erkelens C, Stark LM, Flippin LA, Verpoorte R (November 2004). "Isolation of the Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor Ungeremine from Nerine bowdenii by Preparative HPLC Coupled On-Line to a Flow Assay System". Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin 27 (11): 1804–1809. PMID 15516727. http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/27/11/1804/_pdf. 
11. ^ Lyle, R. E.; E. A. Kielar, J. R. Crowder, W. C. Wildman (1960). "The Alkaloids of Nerine bowdenii W. Wats. and Crinum moorei J. D. Hook.". Journal of the American Chemistry Society 82 (10): 2620–2625. doi:10.1021/ja01495a057. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja01495a057. 
12. ^ Monger, W. A.; R. A. Mumford (18 July 2008). "Vallota mosaic virus infecting nerine in the UK". Plant Pathology 57 (4): 768. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3059.2008.01850.x. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120835345/abstract.