Supplementary Table S1. (Note that the full landscape view may only be available in outline view)

Species with fire-stimulated flowering including distribution, family, growth form, whether the relationship is obligate or facultative, when they first flower after fire, time to peak flowering after fire, methods of seed dispersal and where stored, when germination occurs, fire interval, seasonality and data sources (some values are estimates based on related species).

Subshrub = < 50 cm tall. ω = woody or with annual aerial stem thickening.

Where no other information was available for forbs, subshrubs and shrubs, we assumed that they resprouted from rootstocks (lignotubers, xylopodia); we also assumed that all geophytic orchids recovered from root tubers as all known do.

o = obligate (see text), f = facultative, o/f = some populations facultative. *Treated as obligate by Bytebier et al. (2011).

Phenology: 1 = flowers then foliates (protanthy), 2 = flowers and foliates at the same time (synanthy), 3 = foliates then flowers (seranthy). Flowering period is the earliest shown by facultative species but may continue indefinitely. In the absence of contrary data we assumed that the first postfire flowering period was also the peak.

Recalcitrant = seed must germinate in first wet season or perishes.

Fire interval: s = short (< 5 y); m = moderate (5-25 y); l = long (> 25 y).

Seasonal rainfall: w = winter maximum, s = summer maximum, n = non-seasonal.

wk = weeks, mo = months, y = year(s).

Taxa below rank of species only given if that is the only one for which data are available or traits vary between subspecific taxa.

As we invariably had to calculate the flowering period and peak time from flowering data only we took the fire season to correspond to the time of year when lightning strikes were likely in relation to the dry season and the range is given by the minimum and maximum likely interval between fire and flowering.

Family nomenclature follows Stevens (2011).

Species / Family (+aceae) / Growth form / o/f / Phenology / Flowering period / Peak time / Seed dispersal / Seed storage / Germination / Fire interval/
seasonality / References
South Africa – Cape (mediterranean)
Acrolophia ustulata / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Agapanthus africanus / Amaryllid / Forb - bulb / f / 3 / 3-12 mo / 3-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2009
Amaryllis belladonna / Amaryllid / Geophyte - bulb / o/f / 1 / Several days / 0-4 mo / Passive/granivores? / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007, plantzafrica.com/plantab/amarylbella.htm (May 2011)
Aristea bakeri / Irid / Forb - rhizome / f / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Aristea biflora / Irid / Forb - rhizome / o / 3 / 4-10 mo / 4-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Aristea spiralis / Irid / Forb - rhizome / f / 3 / 5-12 mo / 5-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Bartholina burmanniana / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 4-10 mo / 4-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999, Manning 2007
Bartholina etheliae / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 6-12 mo / 6-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Berkheya barbata / Aster / Subshrub ω / o / 3 / 5-11 mo / 5-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2009
Bobartia indica / Irid / Forb - rhizome / f / 3 / 1-7 mo / 1-7 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Capelio tabularis / Aster / Subshrub - rootstock ω / f / 3 / 2-6 mo / 2-6 mo / Wind / Soil / That winter / mw / Manning 2007
Ceratandra atrata / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 6-14 mo / 6-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999, Manning 2007
Ceratandra bicolor / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 7-13 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Ceratandra globosa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 6-13 mo / 7-13 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Ceratandra grandiflora / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 5-12 mo / 6-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999, Manning 2007
Ceratandra harveyana / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Ceratandra venosa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Corycium bicolorum / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 4-12 mo / 4-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Corycium carnosum / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 6-13 mo / 6-13 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Corycium excisum / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 6-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Cyphia bulbosa / Campanul / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 5-11 mo / 5-11 mo / mw / Manning 2009
Cyrtanthus angustifolius / Amaryllid / Geophyte - bulb / o / 1 / 0-7 mo / 0-7 mo / Passive / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Cyrtanthus contractus / Amaryllid / Geophyte - bulb / o / 1 / 2 days / 0-4 mo / Passive / Soil / Next fire / mw / Bond and van Wilgen 1996 p. 42
Cyrtanthus elatus / Amaryllid / Geophyte - bulb / o / 1 / 3-11 mo / 3-11 mo / Passive / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Cyrtanthus ventricosus / Amaryllid / Geophyte - bulb / o / 1 / < 2 weeks / 0-4 mo / Passive / Soil / Next fire / mw / Keeley 1993, Manning 2007
Dilatris ixioides / Haemodor / Forb - rhizome / f / 3 / 5-14 mo / Manning 2009, pacificbulbsociety.org (Sept 2011)
Dilatris pillansii / Haemodor / Forb - rhizome / f / 3 / pacificbulbsociety.org (Sept 2011)
Disa albomagentea / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 7-13 mo / 11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Oliver et al. 2011
Disa atrorubens / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 4-10 mo / 4-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa begleyi / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 8-13 mo / 8-13 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa bodkinii / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o/f* / 3 / 7-11 mo / 7-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999, Bytebier et al. 2011
Disa bracteata / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 5-11 mo / 5-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Bytebier et al. 2011
Disa comosa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 5-11 mo / 6-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa conferta / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 5-12 mo / 6-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa cornuta / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 5-14 mo / 5-14 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / plantzafrica.com/frames/orchidfram.htm (June 2011)
Disa cylindica / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 6-12 mo / 6-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa densiflora / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 6-10 mo / 6-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa ecalcarata / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 6-10 mo / 6-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa elegans / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa fasciata / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 6-10 mo / 6-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa ferruginea / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 10-15 mo / 10-15 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa forficaria / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 9-14 mo / 9-14 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa gladioliflora / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 10-17 mo / 10-17 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa introrsa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 11-12 mo / 11-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa micropetala / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 11-12 mo / 11-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa neglecta / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa obtusa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 5-12 mo / 5-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa ophrydea / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa pygmaea / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa remota / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 6-12 mo / 6-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Bytebier et al. 2011
Disa reticulata / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa rufescens / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 5-11 mo / 6-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Bytebier et al. 2011
Disa sabulosa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f* / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disa subtenuicornis / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 8-12 mo / 8-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Disperis paludosa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 6-13 mo / 7-12mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Ehrharta capensis / Po / Bunchgrass - corm / o / 3 / 5-9 mo / 5-9 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Verboom et al. 2002
Eulophia tabularis / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 7-13 mo / 7-13 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Evotella rubiginosa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 6-13 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Geissorhiza ovata / Irid / Geophyte - corm / f / 3 / 5-10 mo / 5-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Geissorhiza schinzii / Irid / Geophyte - corm / o / 3 / 4-10 mo / 4-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Gerbera crocea / Aster / Forb - rosette / o / 3 / 2-9 mo / 2-9 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2009
Gerbera linnaei / Aster / Forb - rosette / o / 3 / 7-13 mo / 7-13 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2009
Gerbera serrata / Aster / Forb - rosette / o / 3 / 5-11 mo / 5-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2009
Gladiolus hirsutus / Irid / Geophyte - corm / f / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Gladiolus pappei / Irid / Geophyte - corm / o / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Haemanthus canaliculatus / Amaryllid / Geophyte - bulb / o / 1 / 1-4 mo / 1-4 mo / Frugivores? / Soil / Next fire / mw / Levyns 1966
Haemanthus sanguineus / Amaryllid / Geophyte - bulb / o/f / 1 / 1-4 mo / 1-4 mo / Frugivores? / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2007
Haplocarpha lanata / Aster / Forb / f / 3 / 2-6 mo / 2-6 mo / Wind / Soil / That winter / mw / Manning 2007
Heliophila (Brachycarpaea) juncea / Brassic / Subshrub / f / 3 / 5-12 mo / 5-12 mo / Passive / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2009
Hermannia grossularifolia / Malv / Subshrub / f / 3 / 6-10 mo / 6-10 mo / mw / Manning 2007
Holothrix cernua / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / f / 3 / 3-13 mo / 3-13 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Knowltonia anemonoides / Ranuncul / Forb / o / 3 / 6-13 mo / 6-13 mo / mw / Manning 2007
Lapeirousia neglecta / Irid / Geophyte - corm / o / 3 / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Lebeckia pauciflora / Fab - Faboideae / Subshrub ω / f / 3 / 5-13 mo / 5-13 mo / Passive? / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2007
Lebeckia plukenetiana / Fab - Faboideae / Subshrub ω / f / 3 / 5-10 mo / 5-10 mo / Passive? / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Mairia coriacea / Aster / Forb - rosette / o / 3 / 2-11 mo / 2-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2009
Mairia crenata / Aster / Forb - rosette / f / 3 / 2-9 mo / 2-9 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2009
Mairia hirsuta / Aster / Forb - rosette / o / 3 / 3-9 mo / 3-9 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Manning 2009
Merxmuellera rufa / Po / Bunchgrass / o / 3 / 7-9 mo (2 y) / 7-9 mo / Passive / Soil / ? / mw / Kruger 1983
Moraea collina / Irid / Geophyte - corm / f / 3 / 3-9 mo / 3-9 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Moraea lugubris / Irid / Geophyte - corm / f / 3 / 4-11 mo / 4-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Moraea ochroleuca / Irid / Geophyte - corm / o / 3 / 4-10 mo / 4-10 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Moraea ramosissima / Irid / Geophyte - corm / o / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007, 2009
Nemesia bodkinii / Scrophulari / Forb (short-lived) / f / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Manning 2007
Osyris speciosa / Santal / Shrub - root hemiparasite ω / o / 3 / 5-15 mo / 5-15 mo / Frugivores / Soil / 1-2 winters later? / mw / Manning 2007
Pachites appressa / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 9-13 mo / 9-13 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Pachites bodkinii / Orchid / Geophyte - tuber / o / 3 / 7-12 mo / 7-12 mo / Wind / Soil / Next fire / mw / Linder and Kurzweil 1999
Pillansia templemannii / Irid / Geophyte - corm / o / 3 / 6-11 mo / 6-11 mo / Wind / Soil / Next winter / mw / Manning 2007
Prismatocarpus diffusus / Campanul / Subshrub ω / f / 3 / 11-14 mo / 11-14 mo / mw / Manning 2007
Prismatocarpus fruticosus / Campanul / Subshrub ω / f / 3 / 8-14 mo / 8-14 mo / mw / Manning 2009
Protea aspera / Prote / Shrub - rhizomes ω / f / 3 / 1-2 y mainly / 1 y / Wind / Plant 1-2 y / That winter / mw / Rebelo 2001