Gesneria flowers

There are many flower types in Gesneria, but most of the species readily available in horticulture are characterized by red tubular flowers and rosette habits (e.g., G. reticulata and G. cuneifolia).

Gesneria reticulata (l) and Gesneria cuneifolia

 

Gesneria cuneifolia (l) and Gesneria reticulata. The former is a popular cultivated plant, here shown in a small bowl; the latter is tiny, shown here in the photographer’s palm.

The shrub habit of Gesneria is rare in cultivation, and the flowers of these species are not typical of material that is more readily available. Many shrubs of Gesneria have campanulate (bell-shaped) flowers, including a number that that are coriaceous (leathery). The outer surface of these shrubby species’ flowers appears waxy because they are covered with resin deposits. A selection of campanulate corollas with resin deposits is featured below; these include three with another character of many Gesneria flowers, the presence of fimbriations along the margins of the corolla lobes. Below these is a selection of campanulate corollas without resin deposits.

 

Gesneria duchartreoides is one of the shrubby members of the genus

 

Gesneria ducharteoides; the fimbriations on the corolla lobes are clearly visible

 

Gesneria odonotophylla (Haiti); Note the prominent resin deposits, clearly visible on the darker parts of the corolla tube

 

Gesneria ekmanii; The corolla has modest fimbriations on the edge of the upper lobes, and extensive resin deposits on the outside of the corolla

 

Gesneria viridiflora (Cuba); note the prominent corolla fimbriations and the resin deposits on the upper part of the corolla

 

Gesneria heterochroa

 

Gesneria clarensis