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Description:
Plants 250–500 mm high. Corm globose, 12–15 mm diam., often with short stolons 10–20 mm long; tunics papery, becoming finely fibrous. Stem erect below, flexed outward above sheaths of cauline leaves and inclined above, simple or occasionally branched. Leaves 5 or 6, or more when branched, lower 3 or 4 basal, reaching middle of stem or higher, linear, 0.8–1.5 mm wide, main vein somewhat thickened, tapering toward margins, cauline leaves usually channeled throughout, sheaths of all leaves open. Spike inclined or erect, ± straight, 3–10-flowered; bracts pale green, outer (13–)14–25(–35) mm long, acute to attenuate, inner shorter, entire or notched apically. Flowers cream to pale yellow or pale greenish, tepals often flushed brown to dull purple on reverse, especially outer, lightly sweet scented; perianth tube 16–22(–30) mm long, cylindric, upper half curving outward and slightly wider; tepals lanceolate-acuminate, margins undulate, recurved distally, apices lightly twisted, dorsal slightly larger, 15–21 × 8–10 mm, remaining tepals 12–18 × 6–8 mm. Filaments 6–10 mm long, reaching to top of tube or exserted up to 2 mm; anthers 4–6 mm long, included in flower, white; pollen white. Style arched over stamens, dividing near anther apices, branches ± 3.5 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid, acute, 10–15 mm long. Seeds round to ovate, 3–4 mm diam. Flowering time: mid August to late September.
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