Compilation
Gloriosa carsonii
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Name
Identification
Gloriosa carsonii Baker [family COLCHICACEAE ] Verified by Unknown, Gloriosa superba L. [family COLCHICACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Unknown,
Related name
- Gloriosa carsonii
- Gloriosa superba
Flora
Entry for Gloriosa superba var. superba [family COLCHICACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (2005) Author: KIM HOENSELAAR
Names
Gloriosa superba var. superba [family COLCHICACEAE]
Gloriosa simplex L. [family COLCHICACEAE], in Mant. Pl. Alt.: 62 (1767); U.O.P.Z.: 274, fig. (1949); F.P.U.: 203, t. 16 (1962); Verdcourt & Trump, Common Pois. Pl. E.A.: 176, fig. 17 (1969); Field in K.B. 25(2): 243–244 (1971); Cribb & Leedal, Mountain Fl. S. Tanzania: 191, t. 55a (1982). Nomen incerta sedis
Gloriosa virescens Lindl. [family COLCHICACEAE], in Bot. Mag. 52: t. 2539 (1825); Baker in F.T.A. 7: 563 (1898). Type: Mozambique, Forbes s.n. (K!, lecto.)
Gloriosa abyssinica A.Rich. [family COLCHICACEAE], in Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 322 (1851). Type: Ethiopia, Shire Province, Quartin & Petit 48 (K!, P, syn.) & Tchélatchérané, Schimper s.n. (P, syn.)
Methonica grandiflora Hook. [family ], in Bot. Mag. 86: t. 5216 (1860). Type: Equatorial Guinea, Bioko [Fernando Po], Mann s.n. (K!, holo.)
Gloriosa virescens (Hook.) Baker var. grandiflora [family COLCHICACEAE], in J.L.S. 17 (103): 458 (1879). Type: Liberia, Grand Bassa, Niger Exp., Vogel 22 (K!, holo.)
Gloriosa superba Baker var. angustifolia [family COLCHICACEAE], in J.L.S. 17 (103): 458 (1879) & in F.T.A. 7: 563 (1898). Type: Mozambique, Lower Rovuma River, Meller s.n. (K!, holo.)
Gloriosa carsonii Baker [family COLCHICACEAE], in K.B. 1895: 74 (1895). Type: Zambia, Lake Tanganyika, Fwambo, 1894, Carson 53 (K!, holo.)
Information
Stem erect, simple or branched, plant scandent or climbing, up to several meters long. Leaves alternate, sometimes opposite or verticillate and somewhat clustered, ranging from linear, elliptic-lanceolate, elliptic to ovate, 9–17.5 cm long, (0.8–)1.5–5 cm wide, apex almost always ending in a tendril. Flowers different shades of yellow, orange, red, crimson, purple mauve stripes or fading purple, often bicolored. Pedicel 9–18 cm long. Perianth segments narrowly elliptic-linear, oblong-lanceolate, sometimes ovate to obovate, margins plain, undulate or crisped, 49–85 mm long, 9–25(–38) mm wide. Filaments filiform, sometimes flattened, 11–45 mm long; anthers 7–15 mm long. Ovary 6–13 mm long, 3–5 mm wide; style 20–50 mm long. Capsule 37–50 mm long, 10–14 mm in diameter. Fig. 2 (page 5).
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 1–7; T 1–8; Z, P (fide U.O.P.Z.) widespread in tropical and southern Africa; Madagascar and Asia
Altitude range
0–2100 m
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier District Dandu, 03°26'N, 39°94'E, 1 May 1952, Gillett 12994!KENYA Trans-Nzoia District Kitale, near Eldoret, 27 June 1950, Wiltshire 1!;KENYA Teita District Sisal estate near Mwatate, 18 Apr. 1960, Verdcourt & Polhill 2745!TANZANIA Arusha District Mt Meru, lower slopes, 24 Dec. 1966, Richards 21801!;TANZANIA Ufipa District Mbisi Forest, Malonje Plateau, 17 Mar. 1959, Richards 12194!;TANZANIA Chunya District 30 km W of Chunya, 24 Dec. 1961, Boaler 387!UGANDA Bunyoro District Murchison Falls, 24 Sep. 1961, Rose 10126!;UGANDA Ankole District Mitoma, Igara, Oct. 1938, Purseglove 435!UGANDA Mengo District Mabira Forest, 18 Nov. 1938, Loveridge 82!
Notes
CONSERVATION Least concern (LC); widely distributed. All parts of the plant, but especially the corm, are very poisonous; however these plants are also used medicinally to cure e.g. snake bites. Furthermore they are widely used as an ornamental.In U.O.P.Z. Gloriosa superba L.is described as being annual. This is incorrect; it is a perennial plant, each year shooting new stems from its underground corm.