Bushman Poison Bulb

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bushman Poison Bulb
• Candelabra Flower
• Cape Poison Bulb
• Cape poison
• Cattle-Killer
• Century plant
• Common Oxbane
• Fan-Leaved Boophane
• Giftball
• Kaffir Onion
• Paper Lily
• Paper-Lily
• Poison Bulb
• Poison-bulb
• Red Posy
• Sore - Eye Flower
• Sore eye flower
• Sore-Eye Plant
• Tumblehead
• Veld Fan
• Wind Ball
• sore eyes
• tumble weed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Haemanthus distichus
• Amaryllis toxicaria
• Boophone toxicaria
• Brunsvigia disticha
• Brunsvigia ciliaris
• Haemanthus lemairei
• Haemanthus robustus
• Haemanthus ciliaris
• Brunsvigia rautanenii
• Amaryllis disticha
• Boophone intermedia
• Boophone longipedicellata
• Boophone toxicaria var. obtusifolia
• Brunsvigia toxicaria

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Asparagales. Finally, Boophone disticha is a member of the family Amaryllidaceae and falls within the genus Boophone.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of locations across the African continent. In West-Central Tropical Africa, its presence is recorded in Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moving toward the northeast, the species can also be found throughout Sudan and South Sudan. Additionally, its distribution extends into East Tropical Africa, specifically within Kenya. These various regions highlight the significant tropical range of the species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Boophone disticha is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal spectrum, demonstrating significant adaptability to varying topographical gradients. This species is found within an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 50 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 1800 m AMSL. This wide distribution allows it to inhabit diverse ecological niches, ranging from low-lying coastal or subtropical plains to higher-altitude montane environments. Such a broad vertical range suggests that the plant can tolerate a variety of temperature regimes and moisture availability levels typical of different mountain zones, enabling it to persist in various landscapes throughout its native habitat.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

50 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Boophone disticha is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. Its survival strategy is deeply rooted in its specialized life forms, as it functions as both a geophyte and a cryptophyte. This means that the plant relies on underground storage organs, such as bulbs, to protect its vital tissues from adverse environmental conditions, enabling it to endure periods of dormancy. By maintaining its most critical structures beneath the soil surface, the species can effectively manage its lifecycle across varying seasonal shifts.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Boophone disticha is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber, maintaining an independent existence as it is neither an obligatory nor a facultative parasite. The plant's habitat preference is terrestrial, and it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior. In terms of physical dimensions, it is a relatively low-growing species, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.2 meters to a maximum of 0.3 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.3 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Boophone disticha is characterized by a complex dispersal strategy that utilizes multiple mechanisms to ensure the spread of its progeny. The plant exhibits an autochorous dispersal syndrome, indicating that seeds are often released from the parent plant through internal mechanisms. This reproductive process is further defined by an unspecialized dispersal approach that integrates various vectors, including anemochorous, zoochorous, hydrochorous, and autochorous methods. Specifically, the dispersal profile encompasses a broad spectrum of interactions, ranging from endozoochorous and epizoochorous movements to specialized or opportunistic modes such as anthropochorous, myrmecochorous, and general unspecialized dispersal, allowing the species to exploit diverse environmental pathways for colonization.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Boophone disticha has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Chemicals

Boophone disticha has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Buphanidrine, Buphanamine, Cycloeucalenol, Distichamine.

Buphanidrine

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Buphanamine

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Cycloeucalenol

1. Natural product communications

Distichamine

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Boophone disticha has 10 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include depression, anxiety disorders, cancer, infections, inflammation.

Depression

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anxiety disorders

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Infections

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Motor neuron disease

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Psychosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Tuberculosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Wounds

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Boophone disticha has 5 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, crude ethanolic extracts, ethanolic extract of bulbs of Boophone disticha, ethyl acetate extract of the bulbs, leaves.

Amaryllidaceae alkaloids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Crude ethanolic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extract of bulbs of boophone disticha

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethyl acetate extract of the bulbs

1. Natural product communications

Leaves

1. Frontiers in pharmacology