Rubra Bicolour


Photo of 'Rubra Bicolour' by Les Hannibal.

Blank specimen in Clifford Herbarium

My own specimen raised from seed
supplied by Les Hannibal.
These beautiful Cape Belladonnas are descended from plants reportedly brought to northern California by Portuguese immigrants. L. S. Hannibal has determined that this variety matches the blank specimen in the Clifford Herbarium which has been incorrectly identified as Amaryllis Belladonna L.

Both are remarkably similar to a variety of the Cape Belladonna illustrated in Flore des Serres, iv. t. 1415 (1861) and identified as Amaryllis belladonna var. rubra and Amaryllis mutabilis speciosa purpurea Truff. The plant was bred by Charles Truffaut, apparently from a Brunsdonna.

Charles Truffaut (1818-1895) and his son Albert (1845-1925) were plant breeders who worked with Amaryllises, among other plants.