Crocosmia pottsii (Baker) N.E.Br.

Crocosmia de Potts (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Iridaceae > Crocosmia

Characteristics

Plants 70-1100 mm high. Corm subglobose, ± 25 mm diam., producing stolons from base; tunics papery, light brown, becoming fibrous with age. Stem with 2-several well-developed, suberect, ascending branches. Leaves several in basal fan, reaching ± to base of spike, blades sword-shaped, up to 15 mm wide, medium-textured, plane with prominent main vein, often with a pair of secondary veins ± midway between main vein and margins. Spike arching outward, with up to 30 flowers in 2 rows; bracts brown at tips, becoming entirely brown, 4-8 mm long, outer ± acute, inner forked. Flowers zygomorphic, nodding, funnel-shaped, scarlet, often paler outside, yellow in throat, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 14-20 mm long, narrow lower part ± 7 mm long, ± abruptly expanded; tepals directed forward, spreading in upper 1/2, dorsal largest, hooded over stamens, 11-15 mm long, lateral and lower tepals 8-12 mm long. Filaments unilateral, 10-12 mm long; anthers parallel, 6-7 mm long, yellow; pollen yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite anther tips or up to 2 mm beyond them, branches diverging, 2-3 mm long, notched at tips. Capsules ovoid to globose, broadly 3-lobed, 7-8 mm long. Seeds angular-prismatic, up to 8 per locule, 24 per capsule, light to midbrown, with a spongy coat.
More
Perennial herb, geophyte, 0.6-1.2 m high; corms depressed-globose, often 2 or more in vertical row or connected by slender stolons, tunics brown, papery. Leaves linear-lanceolate, with prominent midvein. Bracts membranous, reddish brown, ovate; outer obtuse or bluntly toothed; inner bidentate-acuminate, with papery margins. Inflorescence a lax panicle, with ascending faintly zigzag branches; flowers bright deep orange, distichous, zygomorphic; tube funnel-shaped, slightly curved, lobes unequal, obtuse; outer lanceolate, inner elliptical; posticous lobe erect, slightly longer than 5 other spreading lobes. Stamens slightly curved to posterior side; anthers contiguous, exserted. Style orange; stigma shortly bifid, fimbriate, overtopping anthers. Flowering time Dec.-Feb.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.6 - 1.1
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Light 4-9
Soil humidity 5-7
Soil texture 3-4
Soil acidity 2-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-10

Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by divisions.
Mode divisions
Germination duration (days) 30 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°) 12 - 15
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -12
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Crocosmia pottsii unspecified picture

Distribution

Crocosmia pottsii world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:436437-1
WFO ID wfo-0000788501
COL ID ZKPW
BDTFX ID 82210
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Montbretia pottsii Tritonia pottsii Crocosmia pottsii Gladiolus pottsii