Crocosmia aurea, common names falling stars, Valentine flower, or montbretia, is a perennial flowering plant belonging to the family Iridaceae.
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The name "montbretia" is often found in horticultural literature.Everett, T.H., ed. Montbreitia, In: New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening, Greystone Press, New York, 1960. pp. 1181-1182.
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Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora, montbretia, is a garden hybrid of C. aurea and C. pottsii, first bred in 1880 in France by Victor Lemoine.Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012. Webb's An Irish Flora. Cork University Press.
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Rohwer & Hummelchen (1992) p. 177 Montbretia was torpedoed by . Convoy HX 217 lost two ships torpedoed by and .Rohwer & Hummelchen (1992) p. 180 Convoys ON 155, SC 116, ON 165, HX 227, ONS 1 and SC 125 were escorted without loss.Hague (2000) pp.
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During the last fifteen years of his life he produced excellent new varieties of Astilbe, cannas, Delphinium, Deutzia, Gladiolus, Heuchera, Hydrangea, Penstemon, peonies, Philadelphus, and Weigela, as well as more modest efforts in chrysanthemums, dahlias, bush honeysuckles, Montbretia, Phlox, saxifrages, and Spiraea.
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Blair pp. 38–41 In November a depleted B6 group, still under Monsen, was escorting ON 144 which was attacked by 16 U-boats of Group Kreuzotter. In a fierce battle, five ships of the convoy, and the corvette Montbretia, were sunk. One U-boat was destroyed (U-184, sunk by Potentilla).
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The alternative name montbretia is still widely used. The genus name is derived from the Greek words krokos, meaning "saffron", and osme, meaning "odor" – from the dried leaves emitting a strong smell like that of saffron (a spice derived from Crocus – another genus belonging to the Iridaceae) – when immersed in hot water.
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U-624, , U-521, , , and launched torpedoes in the pre-dawn hours. U-624 sank the 5,344-ton British tanker President Sergent and the 4,732-ton American freighter Parismina and damaged the 5,432-ton American freighter Yaka which was later sunk by U-522. The Type 271 centimeter-wavelength radar-equipped corvettes counterattacked, and U-184 was sunk by one of those attacks. Montbretia was torpedoed by U-262 and sank while still moving forward.
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Led by Modified long-range V-class destroyer , and under the leadership of Commander John Waterhouse, Group B6 included four Norwegian-manned s from Group A4; HNoMS Andenes (K01), HNoMS Eglantine (K197), HNoMS Potentilla (K214), and HNoMS Rose (K102). These were joined later by a fifth, HNoMS Montbretia (K208). In the summer of 1942 B6 escorted several uneventful convoys which arrived without loss. However, in August 1942 ON 122 was attacked by 9 U-boats of wolfpack Lohs.
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431–435 Following this action the North Atlantic route was again quiet, with B6 continuing escort duties, until in the spring of 1944 it was disbanded in a general re-organization prior to the invasion of Normandy. In its 23-month career B6 escorted 31 convoys, losing 19 ships, but seeing over 900 safely to harbour. The group lost one of its number, the corvette Montbretia, but was credited with the destruction of five U-boats.
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Other smaller flora include thousands of specimens of the yucca-like Dracaena fragrans, numerous ferns, creepers, vines, epiphytes, montbretia, orchids and flame lilies. Due to its proximity to the botanical reserve, Mount Selinda boasts a dazzling array of bird life, with Trumpeter hornbills, Livingstone's turaco, African pygmy kingfishers, Firefinches, Sunbirds, African green pigeons, Owls, Nightjars, Narina Trogon, Eagles and Bee-eaters. The sheer variety and brilliant colours of butterflies in the area is also noteworthy. Samango monkeys are often seen in the area.
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