Nature
4th Feb 2009Posted in: Nature 5
Leopard Flower, Blackberry Lily

Rawr.. behold this kitty :3

Is that a cocoon on top of the flower?

leopard-flower

Scientific Name: Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.
Synonym: Gemmingia chinensis
Family: Iridaceae

Common name: Leopard Flower, Blackberry lily, Manipuri, Kabo Leiteng, Assamese, Surajakanti, Chalkumra, Torobot

Leopard Flower is an iris-like perennial herb, with leaves in fans on branching stems. Lance-shaped leaves will reach 2 to 3 feet. Flowers are 5 cm across, borne on slender stalks, at the end of stems. They have 6 petals, yellow to orange-red, spotted with maroon or purple, which is what gave it the name leopard flower. Fruit is a black berry. The name Blackberry Lily derives from the clusters of shiny black seeds exposed when seed capsules split open. Blackberry Lilies are native to China and Japan.

by flyingbeagle


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5 Responses

  1. Lin says:

    Not a cocoon! You will only find cocoons and chrysalis’s on the underside of leaves usually, where the caterpillar left off. Most flowers do not last long enough for a caterpillar to form its cocoon or chrysalis and sit there for the 10-14 day processing time to “hatch” . In other words–you typically won’t find one on a flower. Most “host” plants are not the big beautiful flower types.

  2. vanillaseven says:

    Lin: Interesting! I just wondering what is that on the top of the flower… can’t be a used chewing gum? It’s looks fragile to me.

  3. Lin says:

    Yeah, I don’t know. Maybe a blossom that has already faded or perhaps, one that is about to open? Hmmm….. I don’t know.

  4. vanillaseven says:

    Hmm.. will take a closer shot if I encountered this again for observation, thanks Lin! :)

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