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Description:
Plants large, 500–1200 mm. Corm 20–30 mm diam., with numerous small cormlets round base, enclosed in a network of hard, spiny roots. Stem branched repeatedly from base to apex, bearing green sheathing leaves with margins free to base. Foliage leaves many, in 2 ranks, channelled, falcate, up to 300 × 15 mm. Rhipidial spathes green with dry, acute to attenuate apices; inner spathe 20–25 mm long, outer much shorter, < 10 mm long. Flowers fugaceous, yellow, outer tepal limbs with deeper yellow nectar guides at bases, tepal limbs reflexed 35º–45º; outer tepals ± 30 × 15 mm, inner slightly smaller. Filaments 12–15 mm long, free, sometimes contiguous near bases; anthers ± 10 mm long; pollen yellow or red. Ovary broadly ovoid, ± 4 mm long, style branches 20–25 mm long, crests narrowly triangular, 15–20 mm long. Capsules ± globose, truncate above, ± 6 mm diam. Seeds angled. Chromosome number 2n = 20. Flowering time: October to December, typically late blooming; flowers open ± 11:00 and fade in late afternoon.
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