Description:
Deciduous geophytes. Corm flat-based, bell-shaped, rooting from base, axillary in origin; tunics of compacted fibres, outer layers decaying into loose fibrous network or vertical strips. Foliage leaves few to several, linear to sword-shaped, falcate or ± terete, plane with visible main vein; lowermost often longest and inserted on stem near ground level, upper leaves progressively smaller. Stem aerial, compressed and angled to winged, usually branched, often repeatedly. Inflorescence either much branched, forming a ± a round or flat-topped false panicle, with sessile flowers, or a simple or branched spike; bracts green and ± soft-textured, often becoming dry distally, inner ± as long as outer, often forked near apex. Flowers usually zygomorphic, or radially symmetric, long-lived, often salver-shaped or rotate, when zygomorphic, lower tepals usually with contrasting darker or lighter markings, sometimes sweetly scented; perianth tube cylindric or funnel-shaped, short to extremely long; tepals subequal or unequal with dorsal largest. Stamens symmetrically disposed or unilateral and arcuate; filaments slender, free; anthers oblong-linear, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovary globose, sessile; style filiform, branches forked for 1⁄3–1⁄2 their length, undivided or notched apically. Capsules cartilaginous, ± globose. Seeds ± globose, flattened at chalazal end, smooth or slightly wrinkled; surface cells usually domed or ± flat. Basic chromosome number uncertain, diploid numbers, 2n = 16, 12, 10, 8 (diploids); 2n = 14, 12, 10, 8, 6 (tetraploids).
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