Ulot-chondal, Flame lily, Gloriosa superba

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Ulot-chondal or Flame lily (Gloriosa superba, family: Liliaceae) is an annual creeper with soft and slender stem, climbing bushes in wilderness. It is native to much of Africa and Asia. The creeper gives one of the most beautiful and exceptional flowers in the liliaceae family. The plant is propagated by rhizome or seed. It is a good ornamental plant and can be grown on pot. In Bangladesh, it is planted as an ornamental plant in garden and parks. In Bangla it is also called Ognishikha.


                                                                  Common names: Flame lily, Glory lily, Fire lily.

The flower-bud


Leaves are simple, sessile, glabrous, alternate, ovate-lanceolate, 6-10 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, venation parallel.

A blooming flower is 8-9 cm across

Flowers grow from leaf axil as single on long pedicel. Petals 6, red-yellow to red, leaning downwards, edge irregularly wavy, stamens 6, erect. Flower mainly blooms in the summer. Genus name 'superba' derives form its spectacular fire-like flowers. 


The top part of the leaves are converted into tentacles.


Fruit is 5 cm long and 2 cm wide; with many seeds. Seeds are round, orange or red-colored. 

After fruiting the plant dries in autumn and dies down to the ground in winter. The next year it rises from the dormant tuber. Rhizome and leaves are used for killing lice and relieving rheumatic pain. These are also used in worm, swelling and pimple. 

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