MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 33 
THE LILY 
No other flower upon display exemplifies the Easter season 
as does the lily. It has been associated so long with Easter 
decorations that its absence would be considered inappro- 
pee The lily is one of the oldest flowers known to man- 
ind, having been mentioned in legends and verse from 
earliest times, though its history is shrouded in mystery. 
Parkinson (1869) was the first to describe accurately several 
different species, and he was later followed by Linnaeus in 
the “Systema Plantarum,” in 1774. Many new forms were 
discovered by Thunberg and Siebold, which enabled M. Spae 
(1847) to publish a memoir containing 44 species. A com- 
nee classification of the lily was published in 1874 by 
aker, which led to the standard work on the subject by 
H. J. Elwes, “A Monograph of the Genus Lilium.” Of the 
200-300 species that have been described, only four with 
their varieties are commonly used for indoor decoration— 
Lilium longiflorum eximiwm (Harrisii), L. longiflorum 
giganteum, L. candidum, L. speciosum album, L. speciosum 
rubrum, L. speciosum Melpomene, and L. Henry. 
The Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum, is a native of China, 
and is cultivated for decorative purposes to a larger extent 
than any other lily. The white tubular flowers of L. longi- 
florum eximium and L. longiflorwm gigantewm often reach 
8 inches in length, while as many as 15-20 have been borne 
on a 4-foot stem. The average commercially grown plants, 
however, produce 3-5 flowers per plant. The susceptibility 
of L. longiflorum eximium to a bacterial disease has led to 
its being superseded by L. longiflorwm giganteum, which 
differs from the former by greater vigor of the bulb and a 
reddish tinge of the stem. 
The Madonna lily, Lilium candidum, is a native of the 
Mediterranean region, and is used quite extensively for for- 
cing. It differs slightly from LZ. longiflorum in having 
smaller and more numerous flowers with a greater fragrance. 
Lilium speciosum and its varieties, rubrwm and Mel- 
pomene, rank next to L. longiflorum in their use for for- 
cing purposes. The flowers are reflexed, white or pinkish 
with blood-red spots, 1-10 being borne on a stem. The 
varieties differ from the type in deeper coloration of the 
petals and somewhat different habit of growth. They are 
native of Japan. 
Lilium Henryi is similar to L. specioswm in bulb and 
form of flowers but differs in habit and coloration. The 
flowers are more numerous, orange-yellow with reddish 
brown spots and a green band at the base. It is native of 
na. 
