Eucomis Autumnalis

''Eucomis autumnalis'', the autumn pineapple flower, or autumn pineapple lily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, native to Malawi, Zimbabwe and southern Africa. It is a mid to late summer flowering deciduous bulbous perennial. The flower stem reaches about , rising from a basal rosette of wavy-edged leaves. The green, yellow or white flowers are arranged in a spike (raceme), topped by a "head" of green leaflike bracts. It is grown as an ornamental garden plant and can also be used as a cut flower.

Description

''Eucomis autumnalis'' is a perennial growing from a large bulb with a diameter of up to . Like other ''Eucomis'' species, it has a basal rosette of strap-shaped leaves. These are up to long and wide, with a wavy margin. The sweetly scented inflorescence, produced in late summer, is a dense raceme, reaching an overall height of . The individual flowers have green, yellow-green or white tepals and are borne on short stalks (pedicels) long. The filaments of the stamens are joined at the base to form a slightly cup-shaped structure. The inflorescence is topped by a head (coma) of green bracts, up to long. The plant has no purple coloration. The structure of the seed capsule distinguishes the two subspecies: ''E. autumnalis'' subsp. ''autumnalis'' has a thin-walled and often somewhat inflated capsule; ''E. autumnalis'' subsp. ''clavata'' has a capsule with a hard double-layered wall ( pericarp). It also has a somewhat club-shaped (clavate) scape, narrowing towards the base.

Taxonomy

''Eucomis autumnalis'' was first described by Philip Miller in 1768, as ''Fritillaria autumnalis''. It was formally transferred to ''Eucomis'' by Frederick James Chittenden in 1951. The specific epithet ''autumnalis'' refers to its flowering and fruiting time, and distinguishes it from ''Eucomis regia'' which flowers in early spring. It is one of a group of larger tetraploid species of '' Eucomis'', with 2''n'' = 4''x'' = 60.

Subspecies

The species includes two subspecies:
* ''Eucomis autumnalis'' subsp. ''autumnalis''
* ''Eucomis autumnalis'' subsp. ''clavata''
''E. undulata'' (the specific epithet referring to the wavy-edged leaves) is a name sometimes used, but is now regarded as a synonym of ''E. autumnalis'' subsp. ''autumnalis''.
An earlier recognized subspecies, ''E. autumnalis'' subsp. ''amaryllidifolia'', is now accepted as a separate species, ''Eucomis amaryllidifolia''.

Distribution and habitat

''Eucomis autumnalis'' is found from Malawi to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. ''E. autumnalis'' subsp. ''autumnalis'' has been recorded from Malawi, Zimbabwe, and, in South Africa, from the Northern Provinces, the Free State and the Cape Provinces. ''E. autumnalis'' subsp. ''clavata'' has a more central distribution, being found in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Northern Provinces.

''E. autumnalis'' subsp. ''clavata'' tends to be found at high altitudes. On the Drakensberg escarpment, it grows in grassland at where it is subject to cold winters and exposure.

Cultivation

''Eucomis autumnalis'' is grown as an ornamental plant. The flowers and later the fruiting stems remain decorative for many weeks, and can be used as cut flowers. ''E. autumnalis'' survives frosts down to about , particularly if planted in a sheltered position in well-drained soil, kept as dry as possible during the winter dormancy. It grows and flowers best planted in full sun or partial shade in a fertile soil, and kept well watered during the summer period of growth and flowering.

A cultivar is available under the name "''E. autumnalis'' 'White Dwarf'". However, , the ''RHS Plant Finder'' regards this as a cultivar of '' E. zambesiaca'' rather than ''E. autumnalis''.

Propagation

''Eucomis autumnalis'' can be propagated from seed sown in spring, but may take up to five seasons to flower. The bulb may produce offsets, which can be removed while the plant is dormant. The bulblets can then be planted the following spring. Leaf cuttings can be taken while the plant is in active growth. If sections of each are planted in sterilised and well-drained soil and kept in a humid environment, tiny bulbs should form within a few months. Sterilised bulb scales, leaf bases or flower stalks can also be used in tissue culture.

Chemistry

The homo-isoflavones 4′-o-methyl-punctatin, autumnalin and 3,9-dihydro-autumnalin can be found in ''E. autumnalis''.

Notes and references

External links

*
*

{{Taxonbar, from=Q973805

Scilloideae
Plants described in 1768
Flora of Southern Africa
Flora of Malawi
Flora of Zimbabwe
Garden plants of Southern Africa