Gloriosa Superba is a beautiful flower as seen in the picture above. I witnessed it in bloom in a clearing in the forest during the monsoon in Coorg or Kodagu in India. This flower is also known as Flame Lily, Glory Lily, Tiger Claw and Fire Lily. It is the national flower of Zimbabwe and also the state flower of Tamil Nadu in India.

In India, it is known by different names like Kalihari (in Hindi), Kaanthal (in Tamil) or ulotchondal (in Bengali). In Coorg, it is called Thok (gun) Poo (flower). It is used for a religious ritual during a festival known as Kail Podh which is celebrated in Coorg. During this festival, all the weapons in the house, in particular the guns, are worshipped and the Thok Poo is used to decorate the guns.

While the flower is so beautiful, it is very dangerous. Appearances can be deceptive! This plant is toxic and can be fatal if ingested. It is used as a traditional medicine in many cultures. While it is used to prepare poison for darts in Nigeria, it is believed to be used as a snake repellent in India. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloriosa_superba)