Eucrosia bicolor
Encyclopedia
Eucrosia bicolor is a species of plant
found in Ecuador
and Peru
. Its natural habitat
s are seasonally dry lowland areas. It was the first species of Eucrosia to be scientifically described, in 1816, and the first to be introduced into cultivation in Europe, flowering outside its homeland for the first time in 1817. It is the most widely grown species of Eucrosia.
It grows from bulb
s up to 4.5 cm in diameter. The slightly glaucous leaves, which usually appear by flowering time, have short petioles
and blades (laminae) which are 20 cm long by 10 cm wide. The flowers are umbellate
, on a stem (scape) up to 60 cm in height, pale red in colour, with stamen
s with prominent long filaments. The stamens are yellow in the Ecuadorian var. bicolor and red in the Peruvian var. plowmanii.
When grown in cultivation in Europe, it should be kept dry at 10 °C or above when the leaves wither, and watered again when the flowers and leaves begin to appear in spring, when it should be kept in a sunny position.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
found in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are seasonally dry lowland areas. It was the first species of Eucrosia to be scientifically described, in 1816, and the first to be introduced into cultivation in Europe, flowering outside its homeland for the first time in 1817. It is the most widely grown species of Eucrosia.
It grows from bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
s up to 4.5 cm in diameter. The slightly glaucous leaves, which usually appear by flowering time, have short petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
and blades (laminae) which are 20 cm long by 10 cm wide. The flowers are umbellate
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
, on a stem (scape) up to 60 cm in height, pale red in colour, with stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s with prominent long filaments. The stamens are yellow in the Ecuadorian var. bicolor and red in the Peruvian var. plowmanii.
When grown in cultivation in Europe, it should be kept dry at 10 °C or above when the leaves wither, and watered again when the flowers and leaves begin to appear in spring, when it should be kept in a sunny position.