The three major varieties 'Maid of Orleans', 'Belle of India' and 'Grand Duke' - differ from each other by leves shape and flowers structure. Sometimes, however, fluctuations occur (or what they call "sport"). The forth popular variety Mysore Mulli, as we consider, is a variation of the 'Belle of India'.
Three varieties are considered:
1. Sinle flower 'Maid of Orleans'
2. Double flower - 'Belle of India' with elongated petels ('Elongata') and regular petals
('Mysore Mulli').
3. Triple flower 'Grand Duke'
Leaves
click on image to enlarge
 |
Left picture: On 'Belle of India' we saw leaves with rounded
as well as sharped tip on one and the same plant.
Leaves of 'Maid of Orleans' are all sharped and arranged opposite in pairs on the same plant |
|
|
Whorled (3-4) leaves, with rounded tips on 'Grand Duke' |
Flowers
 |
Single with rounded petals - 'Maid of Orleans'
Semi-double or single (we saw both single and double flowers on the same plant) with elongated petals - "Belle of India" (longer petals) or "Mysore Mulli". 'Grand Duke' - triple flower |
 |
'Grand Duke' variety often has clusters of flowers. Only central flower is truely double-rossete. Side flowers are resembling rose flowers.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
These 3 pics are taken from same one "Mysore Mulli" plant. As you
can see, there are oblong petals, as well as rounded on one plant. Some of them
are semi-double. According to Glenn Teves (HI County Extension
Agent of UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources), "the reddish
color showing in many of the pictures is actually damage from a flower midge.
Feeding damage from the midge causes the purpliing".
|
|
 |
Flower of Mysore Mulli starts its life as rossete. Petals are pointed. |
 |
'Belle of India': "Middle age crisis". Some of petals are "straight", others still curved. Semi-double flower. On the left - 'Grand Duke' - side flower. Not much difference, except rounded petails.
|
|
'Maid of Orleans'
|
'Belle of India'
|
'Grand Duke'
|
|
| Leaves | Opposite leaves are arranged in pairs on the same plant | 4-ranked (decussate) - leaves arranged in pairs at alternate right angles | Whorled, laves in group of three around stem |
| Flowers | Single with rounded petails | Semi-double with elongated petails | Center flower is double. Side flowers are double or semi-double |
Petels and leaves
 Confusing petels of Belle of India on the same plant |
 Belle of India 'Elongata' buds |
 Belle of India 'Elongata' leaves |
 J.S. Arabian Nights - new variety. Petal like 'Maid of orleans' but flower is double, leaves like 'Elongata'. |
Belle of India Elongata flower |
