Lilium michauxii
Lilium michauxii
Lilium michauxii ( syn. L. carolinianum, L. canadense var carolinianum, L. superbum var carolinianum ) is a species of the genus Lilium (Lilium ) in the American Section. It was named after the French botanist André Michaux.
Description
Lilium michauxii is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the stature heights of up to 100 centimeters. The bulbs are small, roundish and reach a diameter of about 3 to 4 cm, they are unsegmented or make a maximum of two parts and form rhizomes.
The stalk is hard and straight. The broad lanceolate leaves are about 1.5 to 3.8 cm wide and arranged from 3.6 to 11.1 cm long and two to four whorls of three to ten leaves on the stem. The leaf margins are wavy.
It flowers from July to mid-August with up to four in an umbel downward hanging flowers. The hermaphrodite, threefold flowers have six degree recurved, identically shaped bracts ( tepals ) ( turks composite form). The color of the flowers varies from orange to red with brown speckles, the tepals are down the throat yellowish-white. The anthers are brown, the filaments are green and the brown pollen.
The seeds mature in elongated 2.4 cm to 5.6 cm capsule fruits that are often winged on the long side and germinate hypogeous.
Distribution and ecology
Lilium michauxii is the only lily style, which is east of the Rocky Mountains endemic. It is found in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. However, the species is generally very rare.
Lilium michauxii needs a dry and well drained soil, preferably on roadsides or in pine forests at altitudes up to 1600 m above sea level.
Like many other lilies and flowering plants in the southeastern United States is pollinated by large butterflies from the family of Swallowtail butterfly Papilio glaucus such as from, but also other species of the family Lilium michauxii.
Use
Lilium michauxii has been rarely used for breeding. In American gardens, it is occasionally found.