Hotsprings Lily

The Yuriban Hotsprings Lily is a flowering plant of the genus lilium unique to the hotsprings of the Yuriba island.

Climate and Habitat

This species of lily is unique to the natural hotsprings areas around Yuriba, especially on the northern mountains in the Omolara Valley and around the base of the volcanic mountain, Inishie-san. The plants generally grow in the shallow waters along the edge of mineral hotsprings, or in the patches of sandy dirt nearby, sometimes to depths of 1m but more commonly in around 1ft (30cm) of water.

The Hotsprings Lily cannot live away from the mineral rich water and steam of the springs. They prefer temperatures above 90F (32C) and, though they cannot survive for long in extreme heat (boiling temperatures or above), they will not necessarily die out completely. Extremely high temperatures force the bulbs at the base of the plant into a protective hibernation state, and though the current growth of the plant is destroyed, they may last that way for up to a year, sprouting again once the temperature has returned to a more reasonable level. Cold water, or persistant cold temperatures, will cause the plant and bulb to die completely as it relies on external heat to live.

Cultivation

The hotspring lily grows from a small bulb that attaches to the soil or rocks in the shallow waters of mineral hotsprings, or the closely surrounding area. The roots do gather minerals and water from the soil, but mostly serve as a means of support for the plant.

The plant itself grows from a single stem that can vary in length from a few inches (or centimeters) to approximately 1 meter (3.25 feet) depending on the surrounding conditions. On land it will grow fairly low to the ground, but in water the shoots, growing from the bulb, will rise to the surface before producing flowers. There are generally a set of leaves the grow about midway between the flower and the bulb, and another set that grow near the base of the flower.

The leaves are fairly broad for a lily plant, with a furlike texture to the underside. This texture comes from a layer of rootlike tendril that filter minerals from the spring water, or the steam surrounding the springs it lives in.

The flowers are typical in shape, the petals being 1in to 2in (2.5cm-5cm) in length, with thickness varying to give them an almost uniform weight around 5.5 grams. They can vary across a wide spectrum of colors depending on the nutrients in the surrounding waters. White and yellow being the most common, from calcium and sulphur.

Uses

There are no common uses for the Hotspring Lily plant. The flowers can be used for decoration but do not last long once picked and the plants do not thrive away from the hot, mineral rich conditions of the springs.

Though the bulbs are not toxic, they are not commonly used as food.