Description:
Plants 350–600(–850) mm high. Corm globose, 15–20 mm diam.; tunics leathery to firm-papery, becoming ± fibrous or irregularly broken. Stem evidently erect and ± straight, unbranched. Leaves 6 to 9, lower 4 or 5 basal, either narrow and reaching to at least base of spike and often shortly exceeding it or broad and reaching only to middle of stem, lanceolate or narrowly sword-shaped to linear, (2.5–)4–12(–20) mm wide, sometimes longitudinally concave or channeled, main vein usually lightly thickened, margins lightly to fairly heavily thickened, intercostal surface occasionally shortly hairy, cauline leaves progressively smaller, uppermost 1 or 2 usually entirely sheathing. Spike ± erect and straight, 6–14(–27)-flowered; bracts firm-textured, green to grey-purple but usually dry and brownish above by anthesis, outer 18–30 mm long, overlapping and usually 1/2 to 2 internodes long, inner shorter or almost as long. Flowers white or pale to deep pink, lower laterals or all 3 lower tepals with small purplish spot or sometimes crescent in upper 1/3, yellowish in throat, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, ± 15 mm long; tepals ovate, ± acute, upper 3 largest, 15–18 × 10–12 mm, dorsal arching over stamens, strongly channeled, upper laterals directed forward, curving outward in distal 1/3, lower 3 tepals united for ± 3 mm, 9–12 mm long, channeled below, curving downward above. Filaments 9–11 mm long, exserted ± 3 mm from tube; anthers appressed to dorsal tepal, 8–9 mm long including sterile spurs 3–4 mm long, pale yellow fading to mauve, spurs white, held at right angles to anther thecae; pollen whitish. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite upper 1/3 of anthers, branches ± 3 mm long. Capsules and seeds unknown. Flowering time: mainly April and May, occasionally March.
|