Cyrtanthus breviflorus

Name: Cyrtanthus breviflorus Harv. syn. Anoiganthus breviflorus (Harv.) Baker

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Common names: Geelvuurlelie (afrikaans), Injobo/ Ujobo (zulu), Uvelabahleke (zulu), Wild Crocus (english), Wildekrokus (afrikaans), Vuurlelie (afrikaans), Yellow Fire Lily/ Fire Lily (english), Umpimpilizi (Swati)

Cyranthus breviflorus, commonly known as Yellow fire lily is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family, a perennial bulb often found in grassland areas blooming pure yellow flowers after veld fires creating a visual harmony that captures the eye and the heart.

Description

Cyrtanthus is a bulbous perennial plant found across from the Eastern Cape of South Africa to Kenya. These plants display two main growth patterns: the slender, short stems that thrive in coastal and inland grasslands, and the robust, tall stems that occur in inland marshes. There are also intermediary forms, and their differences in appearance tend to diminish when these plants are cultivated. The plant grows from 7-30cm in height and has 3 to 4 leaves that coincide with the blooming of the flowers. These leaves are green, long and slender, hairless, strap-shaped, standing upright, with blunt tips, and emerging from the base of the bulb. Their length ranges from 15-30cm, and they are about 0.6cm to 1.3cm wide.

The plant produces vibrant yellow, fragrant flowers that stand upright, borne on inflorescences of an umbel shape. The flower style extends above the anthers, which are situated at varying heights. The flower stems (peduncles) are 3 to 12 inches long, bearing umbrella-like clusters of 2 to 10 flowers. The flower stalks (pedicels) are erect and measure 1 to 2 inches in length. The perianth, which can be yellow or milk-white, consists of a tube that is 0.6cm to 0.9cm long, with segments that are 1.3cm to 1.9cm long and marked with about 5 ridges. The stamens are about half the length of the perianth segments. The ovary is green, smooth, and oblong, while the style extends beyond the anthers. The resulting fruits are capsules that contain seeds with flattened wings, and measure 1.3cm in length. Flowering within a population is often observed a week after a fire event, in the Natal region and the slender variation of this plant is among the earliest grassland species to bloom after late winter and spring fires. The bulb is egg-shaped, measuring around 2.5cm in diameter, with a short neck, and covered in brown membranous tunics.

The Fire Lily occurs in South Africa and Swaziland and is distributed in Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, growing in moist and dry grassland or rocky areas, in coastal, and in inland marshes. In their natural habitat, flowering plants are discovered on slopes that have experienced wildfires, while on the very same slope where the grassland hasn’t been subjected to burning, no flowers are observed.

Bees are one of the main pollinators for the Fire Lily. The flowers of these plants have a self-incompatibility system that is late-acting. Because of this system, self-pollination reduces the chances of the plant being able to make seeds. The findings from the study by (Vaughton, G. et al, 2010) indicated that the pollination mechanism of C. breviflorus is adapted for efficient pollen gathering by bees and only indigenous honeybees (Apis mellifera scutellata) demonstrated effectiveness as pollinators.

The Fire Lily is propagated by offsets and seeds, offsets are obtained either when the plant is dormant or after the flowering season, and replanted immediately. Seeds are harvested once they are fully mature and sown in deep trays containing a sandy medium just below the surface. However, it’s uncommon for these plants to produce flowers in a cultivated environment, and sometimes triggering flowering can be achieved by encircling the plants with dried grass and igniting it. Like most summer rainfall bulbs, it is best to reduce watering in winter. They can actually survive even if you do not water them at all during winter.

Compiled by Sharlotte Kwenaite and Dineo Dibakwane

Thanks to Julie Braby for the images.