Cyrtanthus ventricosus

Cyrtanthus ventricosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Amaryllidoideae
Genus:	Cyrtanthus
Species:	C. ventricosus
Binomial name
Cyrtanthus ventricosus Willd.
Synonyms
Cyrtanthus pallidus Sims Monella pallida (Sims) Herb. ex Kunth Monella ventricosa (Willd.) Herb. Gastronema pallidum (Sims) Lodd. Amaryllis bivaginata Donn

Cyrtanthus ventricosus, commonly called fire lilly, is a small deciduous, bulbous plant reaching a height of 100–250 mm (3.9–9.8 in). It is in the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, and is found along the Cape Fold Mountains from the Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, to the Kouga Mountains, Eastern Cape in South Africa.

Fire lilly produces beautiful, salmon to scarlet blooms just nine days after fire occurs at the place where the plant stands.

Further reading

• Bond, W. J.; Keeley, J. E. (1 July 2005). "Fire as a global 'herbivore': the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 20 (7): 387–394. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2005.04.025. ISSN 0169-5347. PMID 16701401.
• McMaster, Rhoda; McMaster, Cameron; Duncan, Graham (1 June 2005). "Out of the ashes". Veld & Flora. pp. 66–69.