African Flame Lily

• Plant Type: Perennial Climbing herb.
• Common Names: African Flame Lily, Climbing Lily, Creeping Lily, Glory lily, Gloriosa Lily, Tiger Claw.
• Colors: Yellowish-green to Bright red. The margin of the flower is yellow.
• Flower Dimensions: Each tepal is 2-3 inches in length.
• Flowering Season: Mid-summer to fall.

Gloriosa superba is a climbing herb belonging to Liliales. It can grow to a height of 1 meter.

• The African Lily plant uses modified leaf-tip tendrils for climbing.
• African Flame Lilies grow from a thick tuberous rootstock.
• Most African Lily plants have alternate leaves. The simple leaves are lance-shaped with tendrils.
• The flowers of the Gloriosa superba consist of 6 tepals. These tepals are showy in bright red to orange with yellowish bases. The flower margins of the African Lily are wavy.
• The flowers of the African Flame Lilies are on pedicels up to 7 ½ inches in length on the leaf axils.

Where can African Flame Lilies be mostly spotted?

Africa

• A diamond brooch in a ‘Flame Lilys^[1] shape was presented to the crown of Queen Elizabeth (when she was still a princess) during her visit to in 1947 then Rhodesia.
• The plant is considered a danger to livestock because it has poisonous properties. All parts of G. superba^[2] are toxic, especially the tubers. This may cause fatality when eaten.
• In lower doses, African Flame Lilies^[3] can be used in traditional medicine. In Asia and Africa, G. superba^[4] is an important medicinal plant used to cure many diseases. It has antiabortion, purgative, antihelminthic, and antipyretic properties.
• G. superba is included in the Red Data Book and is considered on the verge of extinction due to the overconsumption of the species for different medical purposes.
• The seeds of G. superba^[5] are rich in colchicine and colchicoside, putting the species in great demand globally. In addition, colchicine is medically used to treat gout and rheumatism.