Zephyranthes Rosea Flowers

Type of Flowers 

Zephyranthes Rosea:

Zephyranthes rosea, commonly known as the Cuban zephyr lily or the pink rain lily, is a species of rain lily native to the Caribbean. They are widely cultivated as ornamentals and have become naturalized in tropical regions worldwide. Like all rain lilies, they are known for blooming only after heavy rains.

Z. rosea are perennial herbaceous monocots. They are small plants, reaching only 15 to 20 cm (5.9 to 7.9 in) in height.They bear five to six narrow and flattened dark green linear leaves, about 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 in) wide, from spherical tunicate bulbs around 1.5 to 2.5 centimetres (0.59 to 0.98 in) in diameter. The single funnel-shaped flowers are borne erect or slightly inclined on scapes around 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) long. The spathes are around 2 to 2.8 cm (0.79 to 1.1 in) long and slightly divided only at the tip.The fragrant six-petaled flowers are around 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in diameter and 3 to 3.5 cm (1.2 to 1.4 in) in length. The perianth is bright pink with a green central perianth tube that is less than 5 mm (0.20 in) long. The six stamens are of different lengths – one of 11 mm (0.43 in), one of 16 mm (0.63 in), and four between 12 to 13 mm (0.47 to 0.51 in).They are shorter than the style and inserted at the mouth of the perianth.The anthers are 3 to 6 mm (0.12 to 0.24 in) long. The flowers develop into capsules that are divided deeply into three lobes.The seeds are shiny black and flattened.

Zephyranthes rosea belongs to the genus Zephyranthes (rain lilies) of the subtribe Zephyranthinea of the tribe Hippeastreae.It is classified under the subfamily Amaryllidoideae of the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). In broader classifications, they are sometimes included within the lily family (Liliaceae).

Z. rosea is native to the Caribbean, particularly Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, and Martinique.It has been introduced and naturalized to tropical North America, Central America, South America, Asia, Australia, and some Pacific Islands.They are common in recently disturbed land and grassy areas (like lawns and meadows) that receive periodical rainfall.

References :

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephyranthes_rosea

Pacific Dogwood Flowers

Type of Flowers 

Pacific Dogwood: 

The Pacific dogwood, Cornus nuttallii (syn. Benthamidia nuttallii), is a species of dogwood native to western North America from the lowlands of southern British Columbia to the mountains of southern California, with an inland population in central Idaho. Cultivated examples are found as far north as Haida Gwaii. It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, reaching 10–25 m tall. 

The leaves are opposite, simple, oval, 8–12 cm long, and 5–8 cm broad. The flowers are individually small and inconspicuous, 2–3 mm across, produced in a dense, rounded, greenish-white flowerhead 2 cm diameter; the 4-8 large white "petals" are actually bracts, each bract 4–7 cm long and broad. The fruit is a compound pink-red berry about 3 cm diameter, containing 50-100 small seeds; it is edible, though not very palatable.

Like the related flowering dogwood, it is very susceptible to dogwood anthracnose, a disease caused by the fungus Discula destructiva. This has killed many of the larger plants in the wild and also restricted its use as an ornamental tree.

Cornus nuttallii is named after Thomas Nuttall, an English botanist and zoologist who worked in North America in the nineteenth century. 

Some Plateau Indian tribes used the bark as a laxative and emetic. 

It is the provincial flower of British Columbia.It was once protected by law in the province (in an act which also protected Rhododendron macrophyllum and Trillium ovatum),[3] but this was repealed in 2002.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Dogwood

Clivia Flowers

Type of Flowers 

Clivia: 

Clivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae.Common names include Kaffir lily and bush lily. They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with green, strap-like leaves. Individual flowers are more or less bell-shaped, occurring in umbels on a stalk above the foliage; colors typically range from yellow through orange to red. Many cultivars exist, some with variegated leaf patterns.

Species of Clivia are found only in South Africa and Swaziland. They are typically forest undergrowth plants, adapted to low light (with the exception of C. mirabilis from the Western Cape). 

Clivia shares common features with the other members of the subfamily Amaryllidoideae. Individual flowers have three sepals and three petals, all very similar (although the sepals are typically narrower than the petals) and collectively called tepals. In Clivia the tepals are fused at the base to form a tube, although this may be very short. The flower varies in shape from an open cup to a narrow hanging tube. In the species the flowers are mainly in shades of yellow through orange to red. The flowers are arranged in umbels (i.e. the flower-stalks or pedicels radiate from a single point); each umbel has a long stalk or peduncle. Several bracts subtend the umbels. Each flower has six stamens and an inferior ovary (i.e. one which is below the tepals) made up of three locules. The stamens have long filaments and anthers which are free to move on their filaments. The style is longer than the tepals, ending in a short three-part stigma.

Flowering time varies. Typically C. miniata, C. nobilis and C. caulescens flower in late winter and spring; in cultivation, C. miniata has out of season flowers at almost any time. C. gardenii and C. robusta flower in the autumn. Interspecific hybrids and cultivars can flower at almost any time of the year depending on climate and the flowering pattern of their parent species. A distinctive feature of Clivia – shared with the closely related genus Cryptostephanus – is that unlike most species in the subfamily, it does not form bulbs. The long strap-shaped leaves are evergreen and spring from thick branching roots or rhizomes. Like other members of the tribe Haemantheae to which it belongs, Clivia fruits are berries. When ripe, they contain large fleshy seeds which are often more than 1 cm in diameter.

Clivias are popular as garden plants with many public mass plantings of older miniata cultivars and interspecific hybrids. There are also groups of hobbyists growers around the world who meet regularly to learn more and display newer improved specimens. Clubs in Australia include the Melbourne Clivia Group, who meet to share information and promote the culture of Clivias, and the Toowoomba Cliva Society, where a Spring Carnival of Flowers occurs.

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clivia