Clivia

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Clivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are non-woody perennial plants, with dark green, strap-like leaves. These leaves produce clusters of orange or red-orange bell-shaped flowers on a stalk above the foliage. The flowers somewhat resemble those of certain varieties of Lilium or Amaryllis.

Of the six known species, Clivia miniata is the most widely cultivated, and hybrid varieties with flowers ranging from deep red-orange to pale yellow have been bred by growers around the world, particularly in Belgium, France and China.

Specimens were gathered by British explorers William Burchell and John Bowie in 1815 and 1820, respectively. Clivia nobilis became the first named species when in 1828 the Kew botanist John Lindley named it in honor of Lady Charlotte Florentia Clive, Duchess of Northumberland (1787-1866)[Clivia]. San Marcos Growers. URL accessed April 8 2006., who was for a time the governess of the future Queen Victoria.

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