Photo by Callan Cohen licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

The flora of the South African fynbos region is no stranger to fire. Many species have adapted to cope with and even rely on fire to complete their lifecycles. There is one species, however, that takes this to the extreme. It is a tiny member of the Amaryllidaceae aptly named the fire lily (Cyrtanthus ventricosus).

The fire lily is not a big plant by any means. Mature individuals can top out around 9 inches (250 mm) and for most of the year consist of a nothing more than a small cluster of narrow, linear leaves. As the dry months of summer approach, the leaves senesce and the plant more or less disappears until its time to flower. However, unlike other plants in this region that flower more regularly, the fire lily lies in wait for a very specific flowering cue - smoke.

It has been noted that fire lilies only seem to want to reproduce after a fire. No other environmental factor seems to trigger flowering. This has made them quite frustrating for bulb aficionados. Only after a fire burns over the landscape will a scape emerge topped with anywhere from 1 to 12 tubular red flowers.

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This dependence on fire for flowering has garnered the attention of a few botanists concerned with conservation of pyrophytic geophytes. Obviously if we care about conserving species like the fire lily, it is extremely important that we understand their reproductive ecology. The question of fire lily blooming is one of triggers. What part of the burning process triggers these plants to bloom?

By experimenting with various burn and smoke treatments, researchers were able to deduce that it wasn’t heat that triggered flowering but rather something in the smoke itself. Though researchers were not able to isolate the exact chemical(s) responsible, at least we now know that fire lilies can be coaxed into flowering using smoke alone. This is a real boon to growers and conservationists alike.

Seeing a population of fire lilies in full bloom must be an incredible sight. Within only a few days of a fire, huge patches of bright red flowers decorate the charred landscape. They are borne on hollow stalks which provide lots of structural integrity while being cheap to produce. The flowers themselves are not scented but they do produce a fair amount of nectar. The bright red inflorescence mainly attracts the Table Mountain pride butterfly as well as sunbirds.

Once flowering is complete, seeds are produced and the plants return to their dormant bulbous state until winter when leaves emerge again. Flowering will not happen again until fire returns to clear the landscape. This strategy may seem inefficient on the part of the plant. Why not attempt to reproduce every year? The answer is competition. By waiting for fire, this tiny plant is able to make a big impact despite being so small. It would be impossible to miss their enticing floral display when all other vegetation has been burned away.

Photo Credits: [1] [2] [3]

Further Reading: [1] [2] [3]

Photo by Andrew massyn licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

Common names are a funny thing. Depending on the region, the use, and the culture, one plant can take on many names. In other situations, many different plants can take on a single name. Though it isn't always obvious to those unfamiliar with them, the use of scientific names alleviates these issues by standardizing the naming of things so that anyone, regardless of where they are, knows what they are referring to. That being said, sometimes common names can be entertaining.

Take for instance, plants in the genus Syncarpha. These stunning members of the family Asteraceae are endemic to the fynbos region of the Eastern and Western Cape of South Africa. In appearance they are impossible to miss. In growth habit they have been described as "woody shrublets," forming dense clusters of woody stems covered in a coat of woolly hairs. Sitting atop their meter-high stems are the flower heads.

Each flower head consists of rings of colorful paper-like bracts surrounding a dense cluster of disk flowers. The flowering period of the various species can last for weeks and spans from October, well into January. Numerous beetles can be observed visiting the flowers and often times mating as they feed on pollen. Some of the beetles can be hard to spot as they camouflage quite well atop the central disk. Some authors feel that such beetles are the main pollinators for many species within this genus.

Photo by JonRichfield licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

Their mesmerizing floral displays are where their English common name of "everlasting" comes from. Due to the fact that they maintain their shape and color for a long time after being cut and dried, various Syncarpha species have been used quite a bit in the cut flower industry. A name that suggests everlasting longevity stands in stark contrast to their other common name.

These plants are referred to as "sewejaartjie" in Afrikaans, which roughly translates to "seven years little." Why would these plants be referred to as everlasting by some and relatively ephemeral by others? It turns out, sewejaartjie is a name that has more to do with their ecology than it does their use in the floral industry.

As a whole, the 29 described species of Syncarpha are considered fire ephemerals. The fynbos is known for its fire regime and the plants that call this region home have evolved in response to this fact. Syncarpha are no exception. They flower regularly and produce copious amounts of seed but rarely live for more than 7 years after germination. Also, they do not compete well with any vegetation that is capable of shading them out.

Instead, Syncarpha invest heavily in seed banking. Seeds can lie dormant in the soil for many years until fires clear the landscape of competing vegetation and release valuable nutrients into the soil. Only then will the seeds germinate. As such, the mature plants don't bother trying to survive intense ground fires. They burn up along with their neighbors, leaving plenty of seed to usher in the next generation.

Research has shown that its not the heat so much as the smoke that breaks seed dormancy in these plants. In fact, numerous experiments using liquid smoke have demonstrated that the seeds are likely triggered by some bio-active chemical within the smoke itself.

So, there you have it. Roughly 29 plants with two common names, each referring back to an interesting aspect of the biology of these plants. Despite their familiarity and relative ease of committing to memory, the common names of various species only get us so far. That's not to say we should abolish the use of common names altogether. Learning about any plant should be an all encompassing endeavor provided you know which plant you are referring to.

Photo Credits: [1] [2] [3]

Further Reading: [1] [2] [3]