Cradle Lily

The cradle lily is one of the most well-known examples of the flora and fauna native to Yuriba, and is one of the things most closely associated with it in the outside world. It tends to grow in areas with large amounts of other species of lily flowers, though it rarely grows near other cradle lilies, and it can be found anywhere these conditions are met. The flowers of the plant will grow a few centimeters above the tips of other lilies surrounding it.

Appearance

Unlike many of the other plants which grow in Yuriba, the defining characteristic of the cradle lily lies in its appearance rather than a specific peculiar trait. Although the stem and roots share the same appearance as other lilies, they are somewhat thicker to support the largeness of the flowers themselves. Each cradle lily flower is made from three sepals, which are usually completely blocked from view by the largeness of the white, purple, and orange petals. The overlapping petals of the flower are arranged around the flower according to their size, which ranges greatly from the wideness of the white petals to the narrow strips of the orange. The popular depiction of the flower places an orange petal, slightly larger than the other two, at the top of the flower, with a large white one on either side. At the bottom of the flower are the other two orange petals, which are so thin that they are often mistaken for having been one petal split in half. A narrow paintbrush stroke of white is present on the largest orange petal, tapering off at the end, and each of the white petals has a purple design of curves which resembles a water fountain. Each of the petals curls until it is pointing to the place in the sky at which the plant receives the most sunlight. The shape of the flower often results in its collection of small amounts of water within, below which is a yellow center.

Host Functions

One peculiar attribute of the cradle lily which is thought to be responsible for its name is that it often serves as a host for other lily plants within each of its flowers. These lilies usually grow to a smaller size than that of other lilies, but the higher elevation serves to increase their chances of being found attractive to birds and insects, which leads to a higher pollination rate. Each flower of a cradle lily can support from one to three of these plants, each one taking root in the outer edges of the center of the flower. The cradle lily itself doesn't seem to benefit from this, but nor is there any apparent harm.

Uses

Most of the uses of the cradle lily lie in the Lily Civilization of the past, in which it was often used as a symbol of the Civilization itself. These associations with the past still remain with some of the residents of the island. Today the cradle lily symbolizes commitment, loyalty and selflessness due to its functions as a host for other lilies, but is more commonly grown in a garden than put into a flower arrangement due to the largeness of its flower.