Pillansia templemannii

Pillansia templemannii, commonly known as the fire lily, sometimes as the fireflag, and previously scientifically as Tritonia templemannii, is a cormous perennial reaching heights from 60 cm to 1,2 m. There is only this one species in its monotypic genus, part of the Iridaceae family. Large stands of the robust and evergreen flowering plants are sometimes seen, particularly in the first spring after fire.

The rootstock is a globose to somewhat flattened corm, covered in a fibrous tunic, rooting from below. The corms of previous years are not resorbed, meaning a stack or chain of corms accumulates underground from previous years. 

A few strap-shaped leaves are grown, the lowest two or three only cataphylls, and one or two on the stem, smaller. The fibrous, hairless blades are loosely twisted and have no midribs, about 1 cm wide.

The small species distribution in the southwest of the Western Cape is in the Kogelberg from the east of False Bay, Caledon and Hermanus.

The habitat is lower sandstone slopes and flats in fynbos. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Marais, (Ed.), 2017; Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist; iSpot; https://redlist.sanbi.org).