The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-09-18
Gloriosa Rothschildiana.
Editor Floral Department:

TIC NlllulleSS Vi Ml. Jd1I1Oo ~ DAANll, OAAC
of the most enlightened gardeners of
England, few tubers of the magnif-
cent climbing lily Gloriosa Rothschil
diana. This is new plant. 1t bloom
ed first in the collection of Lord Roths-
child at Tring Park, England, from
tubers collected by Major Fl. B. Rat
tray, in the Uganda district, near the
Lake Victoria Nyanza, Tropical Afri
ca, and which proves to be by far the
handsomest of the genus. Its pure
glowing crimson flowers constitute it
one of the g1ories of tropical plants.
My first specimen lowered in April
flower for period of about six weeks.
There were 81 flowers on this one
specimen. I fortified it with it's own
pollen and had four ripe seed pods with
about 100 good seeds.
Description: Stem climbing, sim
pie at first, afterward branched; leaves
bright green, glabrous, oblong acumi
nate, cirrhose at the apex, lower ones
verticillate, upper narrower, alternate
Cor opposite in the variety G. R. cit
rina). Flower produced singly from
the axis of the leaves; peduncle 3 to 4
inches long, abruptly curved near the
ovary; perianth segments Oblong-
ianceo1ate acumina@e, kccied at the
back, recurved at the tips, slightly
wavy at the margin, over 3 inches in
length, glowing crimson with a dark
purple mark at the base; style and an
Entertainments white, straight, spotted
with purple; style longer than the sta
mems, sharply refexed, protruding be-
yond the segments, stigma of three
linear lobes, each about one inch long
At present the still finer variety,
Gloriosa Rothschildiana citrlna, flow
ers side by side with the common spe-
cies C. superba of which [ have about
a hundred blooming plants. The latter
appears insignificant as seen in such
close proximity with this gorgeous new
conner. The plant is large and vlgor-
ous about seven feet high, and the
leaves are large, broad and are ar
ranged opposite along the stem. The
flowers are about three times as large
as those of c. superba. When open
ing they are of a clear citron-yellow
with a feather-like band Of deep
ruby-crimson up the middle OF each
segment. AS the flower natures the
yellow assumes more chrome tint,
and the ruby-colored band widens, while
later the ruby color suffuses the whole
flower as it passes out of bloom. The
colors of the flower, it's large size and
exquisite form are unique IN the ge-
nus, and like the type, the variety is
a great acquisition A beautiful illus
tration of the type appeared in "The
Gardeners Chronicle" May %, 1903,
and of the variety Sept. 10, 1905.
I have today (Sept. y crossed the
first flower of this variety with the
pollen of G.. superba and vice versa and
I hope to be able to obtain a number
of distinct hybrids Gloriosas comes
in flower within year after the seed
has been sown if grown in rich soil.
A fine plant of G. superba chambers
I'D among the branches OF Las1andra
macrantha and the contrast between
the deep violet-purple flowers OF the
Lasiandra and the yellowish lilies OF
the Gloriosa is an indescrlbably Deautl-
full one. I have grown Glor1osas in
the poor dry sandy soil of Orange 60.
and though they lowered we'll and were
great objects of beauty, they only show
their full charm when grown IN mo1Ster
and richer soil Some Of my specimen
plants are nine feet high. The tubers
were planted in mixture of leaf mold,
old COW manure and sand. The tub
ers which are tooth-like in appearance,
and often forked, are exceedingly brit
tie and have to be handled very care
fully. They are all perfectly hardy in