Dilip Walse Patil

Scientific Name : Gloriosa superba L.

Category : Angiosperms

Status : Alive

Glory Lily is a most unusual and splendid flower, which is a sight to behold. In bud, the pale green tepals face downward. As the blossom matures, the tepals elongate and wrinkle and gradually arch backward while sequencing through a spectrum of color from green to yellow to scarlet. The stamens are extremely prominent and spread outward in graceful curves that follow the tepals in their backward progression. The flower is 3-5 in in length. Glory Lily is a twining vine that is able to climb up with tendrils formed at the tips of the leaves. Leaves are bright green and lance shape, 2-3 in. long. The leaf tip elongates into a slender tendril that coils around nearby supports to get a grip. Glory Lily is found in the Himalayas, Western Ghats, NE India, Africa and SE Asia. A postal stamp was issued by the Indian Postal Department to commemorate this flower.