963.000 Gloriosa L.

Maroyi, A. (2012) The genus Gloriosa (Colchicaceae) - ethnobotany, phylogeny and taxonomy Wageningen University, Netherlands

Description of the genus

Perennial herb, sometimes climbing or scrambling. Tubers L-shaped, the new growth from the tips of one or both lobes. Leaves cauline, ovate, alternate, less often opposite or whorled, sessile; apex attenuate into a recurved tendril. Flowers in upper part of stem on long pedicels. Perianth of 6 free, equal, ovate-acuminate, yellow to red or variously bicoloured, reflexed segments; margin sinuate or not. Filaments spreading. Ovary 3-locular with numerous ovules; style filiform, bent sharply outwards at base with 3 short arms. Capsule ovoid or cylindric, 3-valved, septicidally dehiscent. Seeds spherical, bright red.

Comment: In a recent thesis the genus Gloriosa was revised (Maroyi, 2012). The species G. superba L. was split up into various species with at least 3 occurring in Zimbabwe. These new concepts, however, do appear to be controversial and are not yet universally accepted. In the forthcoming volume of Colchicaceae for Flore d'Afrique Centrale (Geerinck, in prep.) it is argued that many of the distinguishing characters can be explained by ecological or environmental factors and are not consistent. Most of the newly described taxa, particularly those of relevance for Zimbabwe are not used and placed into synonym. Until more is known we follow this concept and remain to use G. superba as the accepted name for all Zimbabwean material.

Worldwide: c. 3 species in tropical Africa and Asia

Zimbabwe: 1 cultivated taxon.

Gloriosa superba

Links to cultivated taxa    View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesContent
superba L.Description, Image

Other sources of information about Gloriosa:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Gloriosa
Flora of Caprivi: Gloriosa
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Gloriosa
Flora of Malawi: Gloriosa
Flora of Mozambique: Gloriosa
Flora of Zambia: Gloriosa
Flora of Zimbabwe: Gloriosa

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Gloriosa
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Gloriosa
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Gloriosa
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Gloriosa
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Gloriosa
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Gloriosa
JSTOR Plant Science: Gloriosa
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Gloriosa
Plants of the World Online: Gloriosa
Tropicos: Gloriosa
Wikipedia: Gloriosa

Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants: genus page: Gloriosa.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/genus.php?genus_id=326, retrieved 29 March 2024

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