Climbing lily
Genus: Gloriosa
Botanical name: Gloriosa superba Linn
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Langalika, Sakrapuspika, Agnishikha
English: Climbing lily, Malabar glory lily, Flame lily
Hindi: Kalihari, Kaliyari, Languli
Malayalam: Menthoni
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Climbing lily is a most unusual and splendid flower, which is a sight to behold. In bud, the pale green petals face downward. As the blossom matures, the petals elongate and wrinkle and gradually arch backward while sequencing through a spectrum of color from green to yellow to scarlet. The stamens are extremely prominent and spread outward in graceful curves that follow the petals in their backward progression. The flower is 3-5 in in length. Glory Lily is a twining vine that is able to climb up with tendrils formed at the tips of the leaves. Leaves are bright green and lance shape, 2-3 in. long. The leaf tip elongates into a slender tendril that coils around nearby supports to get a grip. A postal stamp was issued by the Indian Postal Department to commemorate this flower.
Climbing lily is used for the treatment of snake and scorpion poison. The plant is also used for treating toxic wounds.