Lilium martagon

Lilium martagon
Lilium martagon
Lilium martagon (Martagon lily)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Lilium
Species: L. martagon
Binomial name
Lilium martagon
L.
Lilium martagon

Lilium martagon (Martagon or Turk's cap lily) is a species of lily. It has a widespread native region extending from central Europe east through northern Asia to Mongolia and Korea. Several subspecies have been named. Horticulturally it is in Division 9, It is stem-rooting, growing between 1m and 2m tall. The flower colour is typically a pink-purple, with dark spots, but is quite variable, extending from near white to near black. The flowers are scented. Numerous flowers are borne on each plant, and up to 50 can be found on vigorous plants. The green stems can be flushed with purple or red and the leaves are elliptic to inverse lanceolate, mostly in whorls, up to 16cm long and often lightly hairy underneath.[1]

Lilium martagon was used in hybridising with L. hansonii at the end of the 19th century by Mrs RO Backhouse of Hereford, England.[2]

Name

The name Turk's cap lily, also applied to a number of other species, comes from the characteristic reflexed shape of the petals. The specific epithet martagon is a Turkish word which also means turban or cap. [3]

References

  • The European Garden Flora, 1986.
  1. ^ Christopher Brickell, The RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, Dorling Kindersly, London, 1996, p615 ISBN 0751304360
  2. ^ Andrew Mikolajski, The New Plant Library - Lilies, Lorenz Books, Anness Publishing Ltd, New York, 1998, p10, ISBN 1859676340
  3. ^ Allen J Coombes, The Hamlyn Guide to Plant Names, Reed International Books, 1985, p118 ISBN 0600575454


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