Lilium canadense L. var. rubrum cruentum
Rubrum cruentum means ‘red, stained with blood colour’ [Stearn]. Hortus reports that plants sold in the USA as Lilium rubrum are often forms of Lilium canadense, such as coccineum [see Lilium canadense L.], a practice already established in 1840 in England: ‘Lilium Rubrum.-This is a form of Canadense; the colour of the flowers is red.’ [BF p.210/1840]. See Lilium canadense L. for a description of the species. A number of colour forms occur in the wild.
Horticultural & Botanical History
No additional data.
History at Camden Park
The only reference to this plant is a handwritten entry in a copy of the 1850 catalogue held at the Mitchell Library, inscribed on the front Wm. Macarthur, 23rd Dec. 1854. [ML 635.9m]. Certainly grown in the gardens at this time.
Notes
Another possibility could be a blood-coloured form of Lilium pomponium L. but I have no direct evidence for this. Lilium auratum Lindl. has also been sold as Lilium rubrum but this is unlikely to be Macarthur’s plant as the name was not published until 1862.
Published Dec 28, 2009 - 12:02 PM | Last updated Jan 07, 2010 - 01:20 PM
| Family | Liliaceae |
|---|---|
| Category | |
| Region of origin | Probably North America |
| Synonyms | |
| Common Name | |
| Name in the Camden Park Record |
Lilium rubrum cruentum |
| Confidence level | low |
