Gloriosa superba

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Liliales
Classification System: APG IV Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Diaphoretickes Cladus: CAM Cladus: Archaeplastida Regnum: Plantae Cladus: Angiosperms Cladus: Monocots Ordo: Liliales

Familia: Colchicaceae
Tribus: Colchiceae
Genus: Gloriosa
Species: Gloriosa superba

Name

Gloriosa superba L., Sp. Pl. 1: 305 (1753).

Synonyms

Homotypic
- Eugone superba (L.) Salisb., Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton: 238 (1796).
- Methonica superba (L.) Crantz, Inst. Rei Herb. 1: 474 (1766).
Heterotypic
- Gloriosa cirrhifolia Stokes, Bot. Mat. Med. 2: 237 (1812).
- Methonica gloriosa Salisb., Trans. Hort. Soc. London 1: 331 (1812).
- Gloriosa angulata Schumach., Beskr. Guin. Pl.: 171 (1827).
- Gloriosa doniana Schult. & Schult.f. in J.J.Roemer & J.A.Schultes, Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 7: 366 (1829).
  - Methonica doniana (Schult. & Schult.f.) Kunth, Enum. Pl. 4: 277 (1843).
  - Gloriosa superba f. doniana (Schult. & Schult.f.) T.Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afric. 5: 417 (1894).
- Gloriosa nepalensis G.Don in J.C.Loudon, Hort. Brit.: 131 (1830).
- Methonica senegalensis Poit., Bon Jard. 1837: 507 (1837).
- Gloriosa superba var. angustifolia Baker, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 17: 458 (1879).
- Gloriosa superba f. angustifolia Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 3(3): 316 (1898), nom. illeg.
- Gloriosa lutea Anon., Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 29: 413 (1901).
- Gloriosa rothschildiana O'Brien, Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 33: 322 (1903).
- Gloriosa verschuurii Hoog, J. Roy. Hort. Soc. 75: 22 (1950).
- Gloriosa rockefelleriana Stehlé & M.Stehlé, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 111: 284 (1965).

Notes

Type species of the genus Gloriosa

Distribution

Native distribution areas:

Continental: Africa
- Regional: West Tropical Africa
  - Benin, Burkina, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.
- Regional: West-Central Tropical Africa
  - Burundi, Cabinda, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Rwanda, Zaïre.
- Regional: Northeast Tropical Africa
  - Chad, Ethiopia, Sudan-South Sudan.
- Regional: East Tropical Africa
  - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda.
- Regional: South Tropical Africa
  - Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
- Regional: Southern Africa
  - Botswana, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, Northern Provinces.
- Regional: Western Indian Ocean
  - Madagascar, Réunion (introduced), Seychelles.
Continental: Asia-Temperate
- Regional: China
  - China South-Central.
Continental: Asia-Tropical
- Regional: Indian Subcontinent
  - Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Laccadive Islands, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Himalaya.
- Regional: Indo-China
  - Andaman Islands, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam.
- Regional: Malesia
  - Borneo, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Islands, Malaya, Sulawesi, Sumatera.
- Regional: Papuasia
  - Solomon Islands (introduced).
Continental: Australasia
- Regional: Australia
  - Norfolk Islands, New South Wales, Queensland (introduced).
Continental: Pacific
- Regional: Southwestern Pacific
  - Fiji, Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Santa Cruz Islands, Tokelau-Manihiki (introduced).
- Regional: South-Central Pacific
  - Cook Islands, Line Islands, Society Islands (introduced).
Continental: Southern America
- Regional: Caribbean
  - Trinidad-Tobago, Windward Islands (introduced).
- Regional: Northern South America
  - Suriname (introduced).

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2^nd Edition

References

Primary references

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 305. Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2025. Gloriosa superba in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2025 Aug 12. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2025. Gloriosa superba. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 12 Aug 2025. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2025. Gloriosa superba. Published online. Accessed: 12 Aug 2025. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2025. World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. . Gloriosa superba. Accessed: 12 Aug 2025. Reference page.

Vernacular names

Afrikaans: Vlamlelie
অসমীয়া: কলিহাৰী
বাংলা: উলট চন্ডাল, অগ্নিশিখা
Deutsch: Ruhmeskrone
English: Flame lily, Glory lily
suomi: Keijunlilja
ગુજરાતી: અગ્નિશિખા, કલિહારી
हिन्दी: कलिहारी, अग्निशिखा
ಕನ್ನಡ: ಅಗ್ನಿಶಿಖೆ
മലയാളം: കാളിഹാരി
मराठी: कलिहारी
Bahasa Melayu: Pokok Kembang Songsang
नेपाली: कलिहारी
Nederlands: Klimlelie
ଓଡ଼ିଆ: କଲିହାରି
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ: ਕਲਿਹਾਰੀ
संस्कृतम्: अग्निशिखा
සිංහල: නියඟලා
svenska: Klänglilja
தமிழ்: செங்காந்தள், அக்னிசிகா
తెలుగు: అగ్నిశిఖ
lea faka-Tonga: Lile veʻemoa