Lilium candidum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox

Lilium candidum, the Madonna lily[1][2] or white lily,[3] is a plant in the true lily family. It is native to the Balkans and Middle East, and naturalized in other parts of Europe, including France, Italy, and Ukraine, and in North Africa, the Canary Islands, Mexico, and other regions.[4][5] It has been cultivated since antiquity, for at least 3,000 years,[6] and has great symbolic value since then for many cultures. It is susceptible to several virus diseases common to lilies, and especially to Botrytis fungus. One technique to avoid problems with viruses is to grow plants from seed instead of bulblets.

Description

It forms bulbs at ground level, and, unlike other lilies, grows a basal rosette of leaves during winter, which die the following summer. A leafy floral stem, which generally grows Template:Convert tall, but exceptionally Template:Convert tall, emerges in late spring and bears several sweetly and very fragrant flowers in summer. The flowers are pure white and tinted yellow in their throats.[7][8][9][10][11]

In culture

File:Northern Italian School - The Madonna and Child with Saint Nicholas of Tolentino and Saint Anthony of Padua - NG3094 - National Gallery.jpg
Madonna and child with Saints Anthony of Padua and Nicholas of Tolentino. Both saints are holding white lilies to symbolise their chaste life.

Madonna lilies are depicted in the fresco titled Prince of the Lilies in the ruins of the ancient Minoan palace of Knossos.

Some translations of the Bible identify the Hebrew word Shoshannah as "lily" in the Song of Songs: "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." (Song of Songs, 2:2 (KJV)) Customarily it is translated as "rose". For example, Abraham ibn Ezra described it as a white flower, which has a good fragrance, and has a six petaled flower and six stamens. But its identity is uncertain, because it typically grows in montane places and not in valleys as the phrase "the lily of the valleys" would have it. Template:Clarify

The Bible describes King Solomon's Temple as adorned with designs of Madonna lilies on the columns,[12] and on the brazen Sea (Laver).[13]

The white lily symbolizes chastity in the iconography of the Catholic Church and some of the Orthodox churches. For example, Medieval depictions of the Annunciation show Gabriel the Archangel handing a white lily to the Virgin Mary. Additionally, the white lily is the attribute of other virginal and chaste saints, such as Saint Joseph,[14] Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, and Saint Maria Goretti.

The French adopted the symbol of the fleur de lis, which can be described as a stylized Madonna lily,[15][16] however the shape of this symbol more accurately resembles that of a flag iris or Iris florentina.[17][18]

Before 1999, the Madonna lily was the provincial flower of Quebec, probably as a reference to the fleurs-de-lis on the flag of Quebec. However, this was criticized as the plant is not native to Quebec, and in 1999 it was replaced by the blue flag iris, which is native to the province.[19]

Culinary uses

In Taiwan, both the flower and bulbs are used as food, as are the other related species: L. brownii var. viridulum, L. lancifolium and L. pumilum.[20]

Toxicity in pets

File:Lilium candidum MHNT.BOT.2011.18.27.jpg
Seed pods and seeds - MHNT

Cats are extremely sensitive to the toxicity of the plant and ingestion is often fatal.[21][22][23] Households and gardens which are visited by cats are strongly advised against keeping this plant or placing dried flowers where a cat may brush against them and become dusted with pollen which they then consume while cleaning. Suspected cases require urgent veterinary attention.[24] Rapid treatment with activated charcoal, and/or induced vomiting, can reduce the amount of toxin absorbed. Treatment is time-sensitive, so in some cases vets may advise doing it at home. A vet will give the cat large amounts of fluid by IV, which can reduce the damage to the kidneys, and thus increase the chances of survival.[24]

Gallery

Script error: No such module "Gallery".

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Sister project Template:Sister project

Template:Taxonbar Template:Authority control

  1. Template:BSBI 2007
  2. Template:PLANTS
  3. Template:GRIN
  4. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named marie
  5. Altervista Flora Italiana, Giglio bianco di S. Antonio, Madonna lily, Lilium candidum L.
  6. Peter Haggett (Editor) Template:Google books
  7. Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  8. Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1984). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, 8: 1-632. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  9. Danin, A. (2004). Distribution Atlas of Plants in the Flora Palaestina Area, 1-517. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem.
  10. Ikinci, N., Oberprieler, C. & Güner, A. (2006). On the Origin of European Lilies: Phylogenetic Analysis of Lilium Section Liriotypus (Liliaceae) Using Sequences of the Nuclear Ribosomal Transcribed Spacers. Willdenowia 36: 647-565.
  11. Dimpoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular Plants of Greece: An Annotated Checklist, 1-372. Botanic Gardens and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic Botanical Society, Athens.
  12. 1 Kings, 7:19.
  13. 1 Kings, 7:26.
  14. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. Hans Kurath Template:Google books
  17. Stefan Buczacki Template:Google books
  18. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. Frequently Asked Questions No Lilies For Cats.
  22. Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  23. The trouble with lilies: fabulous but fickle, The Telegraph.
  24. a b Lily Poisoning in Cats. Pet MD.