Lilium Concolor

''Lilium concolor'' (also known as morning star lily) is a species of flowering plant in the '' lily family'' which occurs naturally in China, Japan, Korea and Russia.Lilium Asiatic Section A-C. Pacific Bulb Society. Published on the Internet; accessed July 2, 2012.
/ref> Its relationship with other species is not clear, although it has some similarities to ''Lilium pumilum''.Haw, Stephen. The Lilies of China. Oregon: Timber Press, 1986.

History

''Lilium concolor'' was first introduced to Britain from Guangzhou, China by Charles Francis Greville in 1790. He cultivated the plant in his garden in Paddington. In the 1840s, it was introduced again from Shanghai by Robert Fortune.

Description

''Lilium concolor'' is a perennial lily that occurs at 350–2000 meters above sea level. It is stem-rooting, meaning it can grow adventitious roots above its bulbs and along the stems.Morning Star Lily. Backyard Gardener. Published on the Internet; accessed July 2, 2012.
/ref> Its stems are terete (cylindrical), nearly glabrous and smooth.Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1984. They have a reddish-green color and usually grow 30–50 cm tall with 1-5 flowers per stem. There is a purple pigmentation near the base of the stem.

The leaves are green, scattered and linear to lance-shaped with little hair on the margins and underneath. They are generally 3.5–7 cm long and 3–6 mm wide. The bulb is ovoid (egg-shaped) and is 2–3.5 cm tall and 2–3.5 cm in diameter. Their size is smaller than that of ''Lilium brownii''.F. Porter, Smith. Chinese Materia Medica. Taiwan: Ku T'ing Book House, 1969. An individual bulb can grow and flower for a few years.

The flowers are showy, star-shaped and glossy with an orange-yellow to scarlet color, although yellow color does rarely occur. They face upward and come in clusters of up to 10 in either raceme or umbel form. They have an unpleasant scent and are ephemeral (each flowers lasts for only a few days). They are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by bees.Lilium concolor. Plants for a Future. Published on the Internet; accessed July 2, 2012.
/ref> They produce small seeds. The tepals are spotted, oblanceolate and slightly woolly on the outside with a length of 3–4 cm.

The style is shorter than the ovary and the stamens tend to converge toward the center, having the same color as the tepal. The stigma is slightly swollen, standing over the cylindric ovary. The perianth segments are 2.2-3.5 cm long.

Varieties

There are different varieties of ''Lilium concolor'', some of which have very distinct characteristics.

*''Lilium concolor'' var. ''coridion'' – this variety has yellow flowers with brown spots. Its tepals are large compared to the other types. The flowers can face upward or outward and both forms can be found on the same stem.
*''Lilium concolor'' var. ''partheneion'' – this variety has red flowers with green and yellow streaks and black spots. It has small, ovoid bulbs with few scales.
*''Lilium concolor'' var. ''pulchellum'' – this variety has red-orange flowers with no spots, although sometimes it can have light and fine crimson-colored spots. It has wide tepals similar to ''var. coridion''. It grows at 600–2170 meters above sea level and is found in Korea and Russia in addition to some regions of China.
*''Lilium concolor'' var. ''strictum'' – the only difference between this variety and the type species is that it has scarlet flowers with black spots.
*''Lilium concolor'' var. ''megalanthum'' – this variety has relatively wider leaves that are 5–10 mm wide and grows at 500 meters above sea level.

Distribution

''Lilium concolor'' is native to East Asia, especially China. It occurs in 11 provinces in China which include Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, western Hubei and rarely in northeast Yunnan.Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 139 渥丹 wo dan ''Lilium concolor'' Salisbury, Parad. Lond. 1: t. 47. 1806.
/ref> It consequently has a larger distribution range relative to other species of lilies that are seen in these regions. This plant grows in north of China in grassy mountain slopes, scrubs on rocky slopes, clearings in forests or edges of woodlands. It is found in great quantities on ridges to the north of the summit of Tai Shan in Shandong province at an altitude on 1532 meters, especially in open grassy areas. It is also found scattered among low bushes of '' Rhododendron micranthum'' and '' Spiraea pubescens''. In addition it occurs in Japan, Korea and eastern Russia (Amur Krai, Primorye, Khabarovsk, and Zabaykalsky Krai). Additional environments in which this species grows include heavy limey soil, humus on carboniferous limestone, grassy slopes, sunny grasslands and moist places in forests, thickets and meadows.

Uses

Food and drinks

''Lilium concolor'' is cultivated in Japan as a food plant.U. P., Hedrick. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. New York: Dover Publications, 1972. The flowers, leaves, bulbs and roots are edible. Its bulb is sweet and cooling. It has starch and can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable similar to potatoes or used to make wine.

Medicine

The bulb has carminative, expectorant, sedative, antitussive, pectoral and tonic qualities. It is used for treatment of bronchial problems as well as uterine fluxes, choreic affections, ulcers and swellings. The flowers invigorate the blood and are used as poultice to cure sore, boils and foul ulcers.

Horticulture

''Lilium concolor'' blooms from June to July and its seeds ripen from August to September. Similar to other lilies, it prefers a well-drained location with full sun, rotted organic matter and a cold period. It generally requires moderate to low amounts of moisture during the growing season.

This plant prefers a pH range of 4.5 to 7 (mostly acidic), although there have been records that it can grow in either acidic or basic conditions. For instance it grows in two regions of China with different soil acidities. Tai Shan is granitic while Lao Shan has soluble limestone with mineral water springs. The plant requires full sunlight and cannot grow in shades. The seeds can be grown by winter sow in vented containers set up in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. They should be stratified before last frost if sowing is done indoors. The seeds should be sown every year to maintain stocks. Chicken manure is effective as a fertilizer.

Others

The flower has essential oils and can be used to make perfume.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q143686

concolor
Flora of Mongolia
Flora of Chita Oblast
Flora of Amur Oblast
Flora of Khabarovsk Krai
Flora of Primorsky Krai
Flora of Inner Mongolia
Flora of Manchuria
Flora of North-Central China
Flora of South-Central China
Flora of Southeast China
Flora of Korea
Flora of Japan
Plants described in 1806