David's lily

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• David's lily

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Following the subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Liliales and the family Liliaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Lilium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across various regions of Asia. In China, it can be found spanning from the South-Central territories to the North-Central provinces. Its presence also extends into the high-altitude landscapes of Tibet. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, the species is documented within the state of Assam. Additionally, it thrives throughout the rugged terrain of the East Himalaya.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lilium davidii is fundamentally shaped by its specific altitudinal distribution, which spans a significant vertical gradient across its native habitats. This species thrives within a broad elevational range, beginning at a minimum altitude of 850 m AMSL and ascending to a maximum peak of 3200 m AMSL. Throughout its distribution, the plant maintains a mean elevation of approximately 2025 m AMSL, suggesting an ecological preference for mid-to-high altitude montane environments. This wide elevational breadth indicates a capacity to adapt to varying atmospheric pressures, temperature fluctuations, and moisture regimes characteristic of different mountain zones.

Elevational range max:

3200 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2025 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

850 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Lilium davidii is characterized by its classification as a cryptophyte, specifically functioning as a geophyte to survive unfavorable environmental conditions. As a geophyte, the plant relies on underground storage organs, such as bulbs, to protect its perennating buds from seasonal changes and extreme temperatures. This life strategy allows the species to remain dormant during periods of environmental stress and emerge vigorously when conditions become favorable for growth. By utilizing these subterranean structures, the plant successfully navigates its life cycle, transitioning from dormancy to active vegetative growth and eventual flowering, ensuring long-term persistence within its ecological niche.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Lilium davidii is characterized by a non-woody structure, lacking any permanent woody tissue in its stems. As a terrestrial plant, it grows directly in the soil rather than functioning as an epiphyte or a parasite, maintaining an independent nutritional status. Regarding its growth habit, it does not exhibit climbing tendencies; it is neither an obligatory, facultative, nor self-supporting climber, instead growing as an erect herbaceous perennial.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lilium davidii is characterized by a distinct vegetative architecture, particularly within its foliar development. The leaves exhibit a narrow, linear morphology, with width measurements ranging from a minimum of 0.2 cm to a maximum of 0.3 cm. In terms of longitudinal growth, the leaf length shows significant variability, with minimum recorded lengths of 7 cm and a mean length of 9.5 cm. Under optimal physiological conditions, the leaves can reach a maximum length of 12 cm, contributing to the plant's overall photosynthetic capacity and structural profile.

Leaf length max:

12 cm

Leaf length mean:

9.5 cm

Leaf length min:

7 cm

Leaf width max:

0.3 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lilium davidii involves the development of specialized fruit structures that follow specific morphological dimensions. The resulting fruits exhibit a consistent length, with both the minimum and maximum measured values reaching 3.5 cm, resulting in a mean fruit length of 3.5 cm. In terms of width, the fruit shows slight variability, ranging from a minimum of 1.6 cm to a maximum of 2 cm, which produces an average fruit width of 1.8 cm.

Fruit length max:

3.5 cm

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Fruit width mean:

1.8 cm

Fruit width min:

1.6 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lilium davidii has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include proline.

proline

1. PloS one