''Lilium bulbiferum'', common names orange lily, fire lily, Jimmy's Bane, tiger lily and St. John's Lily, is a

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

European lily with underground bulbs, belonging to the Liliaceae. The Latin name ''bulbiferum'' of this species, meaning "bearing bulbs", refers to the secondary bulbs on the stem of the nominal subspecies.

Description

''Lilium bulbiferum'' reaches on average of height, with a maximum of . The bulbs are ovoid, with whitish large and pointed scales and can reach about of diameter. The stem is erect, the leaves are lanceolate, up to 10 centimeters long. The inflorescence has one to five short-haired flowers. They are hermaphroditic and scentless, have six upright tepals, the outer are slightly narrower than the inner ones. The flowers can reach 4–6 centimeters in length and are bright yellow-orange with reddish-brown dots. The

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s are erect, about half as long as the tepals, with red

anther The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s. The style is orange, of height. The flowering period extends from May through July. There are two varieties, ''L. b.'' var. ''croceum'' (Chaix) Baker in the western part of the range, and ''L. b.'' var. ''bulbiferum'' in its eastern part. Only the last one always produces secondary aerial bulbs (''bulbils'') in the axils of the upper leaves. These ''bulbils'' fall to the ground and mature after two to three years. When manually separated from the stem they can easily used for propagating the plant. The dwarf plants from the

Maritime Alps The Maritime Alps (french: Alpes Maritimes ; it, Alpi Marittime ) are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between the regions of France, French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and the regions of Italy ...

, formerly described as var. ''chaixii'' (Elwes) Stoker, and the large plants from the region of Naples, formerly described as var. ''giganteum'' N. Terracc., are now considered as local variants of var. ''croceum''.

Distribution and habitat

''L. bulbiferum'' is widely distributed in much of Europe from Spain to Finland and Ukraine.Altervista Flora Italiana, Giglio rosso, Orange Lily, ''Lilium bulbiferum'' L.
includes many photos plus European distribution map It grows in mountain meadows and on hillsides. They prefer calcareous soils in warm, sunny places, but also grow on slightly acid soils. They can be found at an altitude of above sea level.

In culture

The orange lily has long been recognised as a symbol of the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants, particularly those of Ulster Scots heritage. It also ...

in Northern Ireland.

Toxicity

Cats

Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...

are extremely sensitive to lily toxicity and ingestion is often fatal;Tiger Lilly
Pet Poison Helpline. households and gardens which are visited by cats are strongly advised against keeping this plant or placing dried flowers where a cat may brush against them and become dusted with pollen which they then consume while cleaning. Suspected cases require urgent veterinary attention. Rapid treatment with

activated charcoal "Activated" is a song by English singer Cher Lloyd. It was released on 22 July 2016 through Vixen Records. The song was made available to stream exclusively on ''Rolling Stone'' a day before to release (on 21 July 2016). Background In an interv ...

or induced vomiting can reduce the amount of toxin absorbed (this is time-sensitive so in some cases veterinarians may advise doing it at home), and large amounts of fluid by IV can reduce damage to kidneys to increase the chances of survival.Lily Poisoning in Cats
Pet MD.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q163766 bulbiferum Flora of Europe Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus