Canna coccinea | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Zingiberales |
Family: | Cannaceae |
Genus: | Canna |
Species: | C. coccinea
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Binomial name | |
Canna coccinea Mill.
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Canna coccinea is a species of the Canna genus, belonging to the family Cannaceae. A native of northern Argentina, it was introduced in England from South America in 1731.[1][2]
Herbs up to 2 m tall.[3] Full heads of raspberry red flowers held high over the deeper green leaves. Orange or red staminodes (usually 2). The inflorescence stalk generally elongated and not branched. The fruits contain 3 to 5 seeds. The inflorescence stalk is triangular in cross-section and acutely angled; with three distinct longitudinal ridges.[4]
Paulus Johannes Maria Maas from Netherlands[5] and Nobuyuki Tanaka from Japan, both experts in the taxonomy of genus Canna, assign different classifications for this species.
Dr Maas considers C. coccinea to be a synonym of C. indica L., however, Dr Tanaka's DNA-based approach shows that species in the Canna indica complex can be clearly distinguished from other taxa, as a result he recognises it as a separate species.[6]
C. coccinea is hardy to zone 10 and is frost tender. In the north latitudes it is in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen in October.[3]
The species is invasive in New Caledonia.[7]