Autumn Pineapple Lily

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Autumn Pineapple Lily
• Pineapple Flower

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Fritillaria autumnalis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Asparagaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Eucomis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found throughout the regions of Southern and South Tropical Africa. Within the South Tropical Africa zone, its distribution includes the countries of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. It can also be located within the borders of Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the species extends its range into the Southern Africa region, specifically occurring in Botswana. These specific territories define the natural geographical footprint of Eucomis autumnalis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Eucomis autumnalis is characterized by its adaptability to a wide variety of altitudinal gradients, thriving in diverse topographical settings. This species occupies a broad vertical niche, with an elevational range that extends from as low as 45 m AMSL to heights reaching a maximum of 2650 m AMSL. Such a significant range suggests that the plant is capable of tolerating diverse climatic conditions, from warmer, low-lying regions to much cooler, montane environments. This ability to persist across such varying altitudes allows it to inhabit a multitude of ecosystems, likely influenced by local moisture availability and soil composition within these altitudinal belts.

Elevational range max:

2650 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

45 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Eucomis autumnalis is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a member of the cryptophyte group, its vital organs are protected beneath the soil surface, a strategy that ensures survival during unfavorable environmental conditions. Specifically, it functions as a geophyte, relying on specialized underground storage organs to manage its energy reserves and facilitate regrowth.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Eucomis autumnalis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically categorized as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting species that does not exhibit climbing behavior and functions as an independent organism, lacking parasitic tendencies. It is a terrestrial plant, avoiding aquatic or semiaquatic habitats, and it does not serve as an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant maintains a relatively low profile, with a minimum height of 0.11 m and a maximum height reaching up to 0.6 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.11 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Eucomis autumnalis is characterized by a robust metabolic framework adapted to seasonal moisture availability, most notably through its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, it fixes carbon dioxide directly through the Calvin cycle using the enzyme RuBisCO, a process that is highly efficient under the temperate, moist, and shaded conditions typically found in its natural habitat. This metabolic strategy allows the plant to maximize biomass production during the growing season when water is sufficiently available. Complementing this carbon fixation method is a specialized storage physiology centered around its large, fleshy bulb, which functions as a primary carbohydrate reservoir. This tuberous structure allows the plant to manage energy translocation effectively, facilitating rapid leaf emergence and flowering following periods of dormancy. Furthermore, the plant exhibits seasonal physiological shifts, transitioning from active vegetative growth and high transpiration rates during periods of high humidity to a state of metabolic quiescence during dry or cold intervals to conserve essential water and nutrient resources.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Eucomis autumnalis occurs through the production of seeds, which exhibit a highly consistent and uniform physical profile. The seeds are characterized by a precise seed mass, where the mean, maximum, and minimum values are all identical at 0.01126 g. This lack of variation in seed mass suggests a standardized reproductive output, ensuring that each seed carries a consistent amount of biological material for potential germination and establishment.

Seed mass mean:

0.01126 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Eucomis autumnalis has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, AlP, Benzyladenine, COPPER, CU.

Flavonoids

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

AlP

1. Tissue engineering. Part A

Benzyladenine

1. Plant cell reports

COPPER

1. Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology

CU

1. Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology

Cyclin D1

1. Tissue engineering. Part A

Eckol

1. Planta

Eucomic acid

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

MERCURY

1. Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology

NaCl

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Eucomis autumnalis has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Embryotoxic.

Embryotoxic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Eucomis autumnalis has 8 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Salinity Stress, back pain, backache, headache, osteoarthritis.

Salinity stress

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Back pain

1. Tissue engineering. Part A

Backache

1. Tissue engineering. Part A

Headache

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Osteoarthritis

1. Tissue engineering. Part A

Salinity

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Salt stress

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Wound healing

1. Tissue engineering. Part A

Preparations

Eucomis autumnalis has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanolic extracts, methanol extracts.

Ethanolic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology