|
Description:
Plants 300–600 mm high. Corm subglobose, 10–15 mm diam.; tunics of fine-textured fibres, sometimes with a papery neck. Stem inclined outward above uppermost sheath, usually unbranched or rarely with 1 branch from near middle. Leaves 4–8, linear, suberect in basal fan, ± 1/2 as long to as long stem, 80–200 × (1–)2–5 mm wide, acuminate, striate with main vein and submarginal vein thickened, intervening secondary vein slightly thickened, cauline leaves smaller and sheathing, uppermost often concealed by upper foliage leaf. Spike inclined, moderately dense or dense, secund, 2–10-flowered; bracts dry-membranous, translucent or straw, flushed dark reddish brown, speckled in upper half, outer 8–10, acute or 3-toothed, inner ± as long or shorter, bifid. Flowers zygomorphic, dark red drying to blackish purple; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 15–17 mm long, lower cylindric portion 3–6 mm long, widening above to 6–8 mm diam.; tepals obovate, dorsal larger, slightly hooded over anthers, often paler inside, upper laterals spreading, lower deflexed, upper tepals 10–14 × 5–10 mm, lower tepals 8–14 × 4–8 mm, each with quadrate callus near base, with median 2–4 mm high and yellow, lateralssmaller. Filaments unilateral, arcuate, 10–12 mm long, shortly exserted; anthers 5–7 mm long, often curved, dark. Style dividing opposite anthers, branches 3–4 mm long. Flowering time: December to January.
|