Clivia miniata

Clivia miniata

The Clivia ( Clivia miniata ) is a plant of the genus Klivien ( Clivia ) in the family of the Amaryllis family ( Amaryllidaceae ). She is originally native to Southern Africa and some varieties are used as ornamental plants worldwide.

• 7.1 Notes and references

Description

Clivia miniata grows as a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches heights of growth of about 45 cm. Are formed rhizomes. It reproduces vegetatively after a certain age by the formation of side shoots. The basal and more or less in two rows arranged leaves are sessile. The simple, dark green, glossy leaf blades are sword-shaped, with a width of up to 6 cm.

In a vigorous, upright inflorescence stem stand together 10 to 20 flowers in a doldigen inflorescence. The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and threefold. The six equal multiform bracts are fused only briefly and are orange to red with yellow throat. There are six stamens present. The style ends in a three-column scar. The round or oval berries turn red in the tire. The maturation of the berries can take more than a year. Sometimes occurs viviparous; In this case, start the seeds have to germinate in the ripe berries. Here, first the tap root of the seedling pierced through the soft shell.

Toxicity

Because of the contained alkaloid lycorine the plant parts are poisonous.

Occurrence

The home of Clivia miniata is located in Swaziland and the South African province of KwaZulu -Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. There it grows in valleys with loamy to rich soils, preferably on permeable substrates.

Use

Clivia miniata was introduced in Europe by about 1850. For a long time it was a popular house plant, but is no longer very fashionable.

Some varieties are (selection):

• ' Citrina ': This is a form with creamy yellow flowers.
• ' Striata ': This form has white striped leaves.

Culture conditions

The Klivie only tolerate light frost to about -5 ° C. It requires quite a lot in the spring and summer water, but should be kept relatively dry in autumn (from approximately October) and winter to keep it floriferous.

The generative propagation by sowing the seed is considered to be lengthy, pass from sowing to first flower usually at least three years. Since self-pollination is possible, only one copy is required for seed production. Asexual reproduction occurs by the removal of side shoots, which are formed at older plants. The side shoots are separated from the plant as soon as they are strong enough and have their own roots.

Taxonomy

This species was first described in 1854 by John Lindley in Gardeners' Chronicle, London 1854, pp. 119, 149 under the name ( basionym ) Vallota miniata. She was placed in the genus Clivia in 1864 by Eduard August von Regel in garden flora, Volume 13, Table 434. Other synonyms for Clivia miniata ( Lindl. ) are usually Clivia sulphurea Laing, Imantophyllum miniatum Hook .. The specific epithet miniata menningfarben means and refers to the color of the flowers.

Pictures

Inflorescence

Unripe fruit

Ripe fruit and new flowers

Berry with germinating seeds (left), taken from berry seeds ( right)

Seedling, approximately 2 weeks after the onset of the germinated in potting soil in the berry seed