Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Specific Families and Genera => Amaryllidaceae => Topic started by: Martin on May 31, 2007, 07:03:51 AM

Title: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Martin on May 31, 2007, 07:03:51 AM

Hello,

I purchased a bulb last autumn with the name "Jacob's Lily" on the packet, no botanical name listed. It is now in flower, and I would like to know the proper name. It is similar to Amaryllis, deep red in colour. very pretty. Anyone know anything about it. Cannot find anything on Google.

Martin.

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Thomas Huber on May 31, 2007, 07:16:58 AM

Hi Martin - is it Sprekelia formosissima ?

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Mick McLoughlin on May 31, 2007, 12:38:28 PM

There is a picture of the Spreklia here http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=474.msg12486#msg12486. If that is it.

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Martin on May 31, 2007, 05:09:48 PM

Thats the kiddy !! Thank you very much, I can label it up properly now.

Martin.

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Lesley Cox on May 31, 2007, 10:03:07 PM

Sprekelia formosissima has the "common" name of Jacobean lily. But why, for Heaven's sake?

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: mark smyth on June 03, 2007, 12:34:58 PM

After a little searching the common names shed some light 

Etymology: Late Latin Jacobus (Saint James)

From New Latin Jacobaeus, from Late Latin Iacbus, Iacobus, James, Jacob

named after Johann Heinrich von Sprekelson

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Maggi Young on June 03, 2007, 12:38:05 PM

I wonder if some old painting showed Saint James with a flower that looked like this, or that a similar flower was shown in Jacobean tapestries... the flower has been known in cultivation since Jacobean times in Britain, I believe.

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: rob krejzl on June 03, 2007, 02:44:14 PM

"But why?"

Supposedly from the resemblance to the cross of St Jacob of Caltrava:

http://www.allstates-flag.com/fotw/flags/rord.html#calatrava

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Maggi Young on June 03, 2007, 06:48:52 PM

Aha! That seems reasonable. Thanks, Rob.

Title: Re: Jacob's Lily ?
Post by: Lesley Cox on June 04, 2007, 12:21:10 AM

Yes indeed, thanks Rob. It does look very like the Calatrava cross.