Worsleya

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Asparagales

Familia: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamilia: Amaryllidoideae
Tribus: Griffineae
Genus: Worsleya
Species: W. procera
Name

Worsleya Traub 1944
References

Traub, H.P., 1944: Herbertia. [American Plant Life Society]. Orlando, FL, 10: 89, tab. 246.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2018. Worsleya in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jul. 30. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Worsleya. Published online. Accessed: Jul. 30 2018.
The Plant List 2013. Worsleya in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jul. 30.
Tropicos.org 2018. Worsleya. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jul. 30.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2019. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Taxon: Worsleya. .

Worsleya is a genus of Brazilian plants in the Amaryllis family, cultivated as an ornamental because of its showy flowers. There is only one known species, Worsleya procera, native to eastern Brazil.[6][7][8] It is one of the largest (around 1.5 meters high) and rarest members of the subfamily Amaryllidoideae (family Amaryllidaceae).

This species is also known as the Empress of Brazil because of its origin in South America. It grows in very extreme and moist environments, and is commonly found near waterfalls in rich soil situated on granite rocks (which is why it is sometimes considered to be a lithophyte) and sunny places. However, it can be difficult to cultivate. It has plenty of needs, though it can exhibit great hardiness. It also has many ornamental traits.

The plant has a large bulb that produces a high stem with green recurved leaves. Worsleya produces spectacular and beautiful blooms. They are large, lilac to blue, with small freckles on them. The seeds are black and semicircular, and (when cultivated) are usually sown in pumice or sometimes Sphagnum, although with Sphagnum the threat of decay is higher.[9][10][11]

The blue flowers

Leaves (Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney)

References

1871 illustration from Hooker, Joseph Dalton. Curtis's Botanical Magazine, volume 97 Series 3, issue 27, plate 5883, as Amaryllis rayneri
"Worsleya procera", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2012-12-29
The Plant List
Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Tropicos, Worsleya (W. Watson ex Traub) Traub
Mabberley, David (May 3, 2002). "pbs New wiki photos Worsleya bloom". Retrieved 6 February 2011.
Mabberley, David (1987). The plant-book. A portable dictionary of the higher plants. Cambridge University Press.
Traub, Hamilton Paul 1944. Herbertia 10: 89
Lemaire, (Antoine) Charles. 1864. L'illustration horticole 11: t. 408. as Hippeastrum procerum .
Duchartre, Pierre Étienne Simon. 1863. Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France 10: 75. as Amaryllis procera nom illeg., not Salisbury 1796.
Traub, Hamilton Paul & Moldenke, Harold Norman. 1949. Amaryllis Manual 23. as Worsleya rayneri