Watsonia meriana
Encyclopedia
Watsonia meriana is a species of flowering plant in the iris family
known by the common name bulbil bugle-lily. It is one of several Watsonia species known as wild watsonia. It is native to South Africa
, but it is well-known as an ornamental plant
grown in gardens for its showy spikes of flowers and an invasive species
in areas where it has escaped cultivation. It is a perennial herb growing from a fibrous-coated corm
and growing to a maximum height well over one meter when in flower, sometimes reaching two meters. Each corm produces three or four erect, lance-shaped leaves that measure up to 60 centimeters long by 6 wide. They have thickened midribs and margins. The inflorescence
is an open spike of 8 to 25 flowers which may be any most any shade of orange to reddish or purplish. The flower is up to 8 centimeters long with a long, tubular throat and spreading tepal
s. The flowers sometimes yield capsule fruits which contain seed, but the plant often reproduces via bulb
ils that form in clusters along the stem. The bulbils can sprout if dropped into the soil, as can sections of corm that are chopped and dispersed via plowing.
Like some other Watsonia, this species can take hold in the wild as a weedy introduced species
in appropriate climates. It can be found along the southern coast of Australia
, in New Zealand
, and on the North Coast of California. The plant forms dense colonies that crowd other plant species from the land.
Iridaceae
The Iris family or Iridaceae is a family of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants included in the monocot order Asparagales, taking its name from the genus Iris. Almost worldwide in distribution and one of the most important families in horticulture, it includes more than 2000 species...
known by the common name bulbil bugle-lily. It is one of several Watsonia species known as wild watsonia. It is native to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, but it is well-known as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
grown in gardens for its showy spikes of flowers and an invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
in areas where it has escaped cultivation. It is a perennial herb growing from a fibrous-coated corm
Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
and growing to a maximum height well over one meter when in flower, sometimes reaching two meters. Each corm produces three or four erect, lance-shaped leaves that measure up to 60 centimeters long by 6 wide. They have thickened midribs and margins. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is an open spike of 8 to 25 flowers which may be any most any shade of orange to reddish or purplish. The flower is up to 8 centimeters long with a long, tubular throat and spreading tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s. The flowers sometimes yield capsule fruits which contain seed, but the plant often reproduces via 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...
ils that form in clusters along the stem. The bulbils can sprout if dropped into the soil, as can sections of corm that are chopped and dispersed via plowing.
Like some other Watsonia, this species can take hold in the wild as a weedy introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
in appropriate climates. It can be found along the southern coast of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and on the North Coast of California. The plant forms dense colonies that crowd other plant species from the land.