Lilium wallichianum explained

Lilium wallichianum is an Asian species of bulbous plants in the lily family native to the Indian Subcontinent and to Myanmar. It is native to India, as well as Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

Lilium wallichianum grows on slopes and grasslands at 1200to, and in moist shade 1100to elevation.^[7] The bulbs are stoloniferous, with new bulbs capable of appearing some distance from the parent plant. The green stem tinged with purple grows up to 2m (07feet) high. The leaves are scattered, dark green, linear to lanceolate and up to 25cm (10inches) long. Each stem bears up to four trumpet-shaped flowers, white to creamy-yellow, held horizontally and up to 20cm (10inches) across.^[8] A fairly difficult species to grow successfully in the garden, it requires a moist slightly acidic soil with excellent drainage. The species prefers light dappled shade and blooms very late in the season.

The species was named for Dr. Nathaniel Wallich (1786 – 1854), Danish plant hunter, botanist and physician.^[9]

Varieties^[1]

• Lilium wallichianum var. neilgherrense (Wight) H.Hara - Nepal, Karnataka and Kerala in southern India
• Lilium wallichianum var. wallichianum - Himalayas

Notes and References

1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=280193 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
2. Hara, H., Stearn, W.T. & Williams, H.J. (1978). An Enumeration of the Flowering Plants of Nepal 1: 1-154. Trustees of British Museum, London.
3. Karthikeyan, S., Jain, S.K., Nayar, M.P. & Sanjappa, M. (1989). Florae Indicae Enumeratio: Monocotyledonae: 1-435. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.
4. Noltie, H.J. (1994). Flora of Bhutan 3(1): 1-456. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
5. Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590.
6. Singh, N.P. & Sanjappa, M. (eds.) (2006). Alliaceae, Liliaceae, Trilliaceae & Uvulariaceae. Fascicles of Flora of India 23: 1-134. Botanical Survey of India, New Delhi.
7. Web site: Lilium wallichianum - Schult.&Schult.. Plants for a Future. 3 September 2012.
8. Christopher Brickell, The RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, Dorling Kindersly, London, 1996, p617.
9. Book: Joseph Dalton Hooker . Curtis's botanical magazine . 2 September 2012. 1851. Reeve Brothers. 4561.