Close-up of a Crocosmia (montbretia) flower
Crocosmia is a small genus of perennial species in the iris family Iridaceae, native to grasslands in the Cape region (South Africa). They are commonly known in the United States as coppertips or falling stars, and in Britain as montbretia. Other names, for hybrids and cultivars, include antholyza, and curtonus. They are now grown worldwide, and more than 400 cultivars have been produced. Some hybrids have become invasive species. The name is derived from the Greek words krokos (saffron) and osme (smell), referring to the saffron-like scent, when dried flowers are dipped in water. They are evergreen or deciduous perennial herbs, that grow from basal underground corms. The basal, alternate leaves are cauline (meaning, belonging to the stem) and distichous (meaning, growing in two vertical ranks). The leaves are linear or lanceolate. The blades are parallel-veined. The margin is entire. They have colourful inflorescences of 4 to 20 vivid red and orange subopposite flowers on a divaricately branched stem. The terminal inflorescence can have the form of a cyme or a raceme. These flower from early summer well into autumn. The flowers are sessile on a flexuose arched spike. The fertile flowers are hermaphroditic. All stamens have an equal length. The style branches are apically forked. They are pollinated by insects, birds or by the wind.
Size: 3236px × 5200px
Photo credit: © John Keates / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: bloom, blooming, blooms, botanical, botany, buds, close-, closeup, colourful, crocosmia, flora, floral, flower, flowering, flowers, garden, montbretia, natural, nature, orange, petals, plant, plants, red, yellow
