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Baeometra uniflora

Beetle Lily

Family ColchicaceaeGenus Baeometra

Two yellow six-petalled flowers against black, the petals backed crimson, with green and yellow stamens at the center
FlowerSAplantsCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
tuberous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
Orange, yellowWikipedia
Native range
Cape ProvincesGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • South Africans call it beetle lily, for the dark marks on its tepals. Uniflora means "single-flowered", though the stem usually carries at least two flowers. Jacquin described and painted it in 1793, and Gwendolyn Lewis settled its correct name in 1941. Wikipedia: Baeometra

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 21, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 20, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 77 days.

100% germination in 49–77 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Baeometra p. 17Public domain
Show the original text
Baeometra (Liliaceae). B. uniflora germ. 70L-40(4/4 in 7-11 w) and 70D-40-70D(1/5 in 3rd d), The delayed effect of light is found in other species, but it is unusual and needs to be checked for this species.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Baeometra p. 17. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 4, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 3 days.

20% germination in 3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Baeometra p. 17Public domain
Show the original text
Baeometra (Liliaceae). B. uniflora germ. 70L-40(4/4 in 7-11 w) and 70D-40-70D(1/5 in 3rd d), The delayed effect of light is found in other species, but it is unusual and needs to be checked for this species.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Baeometra p. 17. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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