Home › K › Kniphofia (Named after Johann Hieronymus)

Kniphofia (Named after Johann Hieronymus)

(named after Johann Hieronymus Kniphof, 1704-1763, a Professor of Medicine at Erfurt in the eighteenth century). SYNS. Rudolphaemeria, Triclissa, Tritoma, Tritomanthe, Tritomium. ORD. Liliaceae. This small genus of hardy, tufted, herbaceous plants is usually known as Tritoma, but the name here adopted is a prior one, and, therefore, the more correct. The species number about sixteen, and are natives of tropical and South Africa and Madagascar. Flowers scarlet and yellow, showy, densely racemose or spicate, sub-sessile or shortly pedicellate, closely deflexed; scapes leafless, tall, simple. Leaves radical, long, narrow, firm. Kniphofias are very showy and ornamental border plants. They require protection throughout winter, in the more northern parts of the country. The species best known, and most extensively cultivated, is K. aloides. They all prefer a light, sandy soil, to which may be applied a liberal top-dressing of well-rotted manure, and plenty of water in spring and summer. Propagated by divisions of the crown, in early spring, or by seeds, when procurable.

K. aloides (Aloe-like).* Common Flame Flower. fl. handsome coral-red, fading to orange, and ultimately to a greenish-yellow, large, tubular, disposed in dense, oval-oblong spikes. Late summer and autumn. l. very long and narrow, channelled, keeled, toothed on the edges and keel. h. 3ft. to 4ft. South Africa, 1707. SYNS. K. Uvaria and Tritoma Uvaria. This is the handsomest species in cultivation, and one of the most gorgeous of autumn-flowering plants. It is suited equally well for the mixed border or shrubbery, or for planting in lines where there is a background of green foliage. There are several varieties of this species, including the following: K. a. glaucescens (glaucous). South Africa, 1859.

K. a. maxima (large-flowered).* A variety much taller than the type, and having stouter stems and longer flower-spikes. It is sometimes known as grandis. Orange Free State, 1862. (B. M. 6553.) K. a. serotina (late-flowering). South Africa, 1859. K. Burchelli (Burchell's).* fl. scarlet and yellow, tipped with green; scape marked with black spots. Autumn. l. light green. h. 1 1/2ft. South Africa, 1816. A very desirable plant. (B. R. 1745, under name of Tritoma Burchelli.) K. carnosa (fleshy). fl. apricot-yellow, rather small, with bright yellow anthers; spike cylindrical, about 3in. long and 1 1/2in. broad; scape about 1ft. high. Autumn. l. in several rosettes. Abyssinia, 1879. A handsome species.

K. caulescens (caulescent). fl. reddish-salmon colour at first, but ultimately becoming white tinged with greenish-yellow; disposed in a dense head of about 6in. in length; scape 4ft. to 5ft. long. Autumn. l. of a very glaucous blue-grey tint. Stem very thick. South Africa 1862. (B. M. 5946.) K. comosa (tufted). fl. yellow, disposed in a dense oblong-obtuse head; stamens very long. August. l. linear, erect, bright green acuminate, almost triquetrous. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Abyssinia, 1879. (B. M. 6569.) K. foliosa (leafy). fl. bright yellow or tinged with red, in a dense cylindrical raceme, 6in. to 12in. long. August. l. in a dense basal rosette, ensiform, acuminate, 3in. to 4in. broad at the clasping base, tapering to a long point, green on both surfaces Abyssinia, 1880. SYN. K. Quartiniana. (B. M. 6742.) K. Leichtlinii (Leichtlin's).* fl. dull pale vermilion-red and yellow. August. l. 4ft. long, spreading all round, about 3/4in. in diameter at one-third distance above the base, triquetrous, bright green. 1880. Abyssinia. (B. M. 6716.) K. L. distachya (two-ranked). A robust variety, with broader leaves, and rather shorter flowers than the type; peduncle sometimes two or three-headed. 1884.

K. Macowani (MacOwan's). fl. bright orange-red, disposed in cylindric-ovoid racemes, 3in. to 5in. long. August. l. sub-erect, narrow-subulate, strongly keeled, deeply channelled. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. South Africa, 1874. (B. M. 6167.) K. praecox (early). fl. bright red or yellow, on scapes nearly 2ft. long. May. l. about 2ft. long, sharply keeled, and with toothed edges. South Africa, 1862. A handsome species, with the habit of K. aloides. (Ref. B. 169.) K. pumila (dwarf). fl. orange-red, in a dense-flowered raceme, 3in. to 5in. long; scape longer than the leaves. August. l. glaucous, with scabrid margins, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, about 1/2in. wide. South Africa, 1774. (B. M. 764, under name of Tritoma pumila.) K. Quartiniana (Dr. Quartin Dillon's). A synonym of K.foliosa. K. Rooperi (Rooper's).* fl. orange-red, becoming yellow with age, about 1 1/2in. long, densely crowded; raceme 6in. to 8in. long, ovoid-oblong; scape stout, 1ft. long; bracts few, short. November. l. 1 1/2ft. long, 1 3/4in. broad, ensiform, gradually acuminate, deeply keeled at the back, dark green, not glaucous; margins serrulate. h. 2ft. British Caffraria, 1854. SYN. Tritoma Rooperi. (B. M. 6116.) K. triangularis (three-angled). Very like K. Macowani; but the foliage is broader and longer, and in this respect it resembles K. aloides. A very desirable plant.

K. Uvaria (Uvaria). A synonym of K. aloides.