FLAME LILY

One species in this family of perennial herbs comes with a name that hints at both overweening ambition and high maintenance: Gloriosa superba. Commonly known by several names including flame lily, its dramatic flame-like petals have made it a fixture alongside kikiyu lawns and Hills hoists in eastern Australian backyards. It is also on the invasive weed lists of Queensland and New South Wales. The tubers of this floral femme fatale contain the alkaloid colchicine, which is toxic or even fatal at high enough doses over time, but also has medicinal properties including a treatment for gout. In India Gloriosa is harvested as a pharmaceutical crop.