Empress of Brazil

Worsleya is a genus of Brazilian plants in the amaryllis family Amaryllidaceae, cultivated as an ornamental because of its showy, pale violet flowers, often with a yellow stripe down the middle of each tepal. There is only one known species, Worsleya procera, native to eastern Brazil. It is endemic to the mountains around Petrópolis, about 40–50 km (25–31 mi) north of Rio de Janeiro. Here the sickle-shaped leaves curve northward. When grown in the northern hemisphere, the leaves curve southward. It has one of the largest bulbs, around 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) high by up to 30 cm (12 in) thick near the base) and also rarest members of the subfamily Amaryllidoideae (family Amaryllidaceae).

This species is also known as the Empress of Brazil because of its origin in South America and in reference to Teresa Cristina, the wife of Emperor Dom Pedro II. It grows in very extreme and moist environments, and is commonly found near waterfalls in rich soil situated on granite rocks (which is why it is sometimes considered to be a lithophyte) and sunny places. However, it can be difficult to cultivate. It has plenty of needs, though it can exhibit great hardiness. It also has many ornamental traits.