Bredasdorp Lily

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bredasdorp Firelily
• Bredasdorp Lily

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Cyrtanthus guthrieae, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is further classified under the order Asparagales. Finally, it is a member of the family Amaryllidaceae and falls under the genus Cyrtanthus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is native to the specific region of Southern Africa. Its geographical presence is primarily concentrated within the Cape Provinces. Within these areas, it thrives in unique environmental conditions suited to its survival. This localized distribution highlights its status as a regional botanical specimen. Consequently, finding this species requires searching through the diverse landscapes of the Cape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cyrtantus guthrieae is characterized by its occurrence within specific low-altitude tropical environments, where it occupies a specialized niche in the landscape. This species is primarily found at low elevations, with its distribution restricted to a maximum elevation of 120 m AMSL. Such a narrow altitudinal range suggests that the plant is adapted to the unique microclimates found near sea level, likely requiring the specific humidity, temperature stability, and soil compositions characteristic of coastal or lowland forest ecosystems. The environmental constraints imposed by this limited elevation suggest a high degree of ecological specialization, making the plant dependent on the stable atmospheric and hydrological conditions present within these low-lying habitats.

Elevational range max:

120 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Cyrtanthus guthrieae is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. It functions biologically as a cryptophyte, a classification that indicates its regenerative buds are protected below the soil surface. Specifically, its life form is that of a geophyte, meaning it survives unfavorable environmental periods by retreating into specialized underground storage organs, which provide the necessary energy and protection to facilitate regrowth when conditions become favorable.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cyrtanthus guthrrieae is characterized by its compact growth habit, reaching a maximum plant height of only 0.15 m. It functions as a self-supporting climber, maintaining its structural integrity without the need for external hosts. Although it can exist in various environmental niches, its growth form is primarily terrestrial, though it exhibits adaptability across aquatic, semiaquatic, and terrestrial habitats. Furthermore, the species is an independent organism, neither acting as an obligatory or facultative parasite nor functioning as an epiphyte, as it remains strictly terrestrial in its fundamental ecological niche.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.15 m

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Cyrtanthus guthrieae has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Polyphenol, Proanthocyanidins, STARCH, polyphenols.

Flavonoids

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Polyphenol

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Proanthocyanidins

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

STARCH

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

polyphenols

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

proline

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB