Blood Lily

Scadoxus puniceus, commonly known as the paintbrush lily, is a bulbous plant native to much of southern and eastern Africa, from Ethiopia and Sudan south to the Cape Provinces. It grows in cool, shady places such as ravines and forests, often in moist leaf litter. Other common names include snake lily, royal paintbrush, African blood lily, rooikwas in Afrikaans, and isisphompho and umgola in Zulu. It bears bright red, round fruit about a centimetre across. The bulb is considered poisonous in significant amounts, yet it is used traditionally to treat coughs, gastro-intestinal problems, febrile colds, asthma, leprosy, sprains and bruises, and as an antidote to poisons. It is also used as a diuretic. The leaves are applied to sores and ulcers to aid healing and as an antiseptic, and the plant is traditionally taken during pregnancy as part of a herbal regimen.