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Description:
Plants (80–)180–450(–800) mm high. Corm globose to conic, 12–20 mm diam., producing numerous small cormlets at base; tunics moderately to very coarsely fibrous or thinly leathery to firmly papery. Stem erect below, flexed outward above sheaths of upper, simple or 1–2-branched. Leaves (4)5 to 8(10), lower 3 to 7 basal and often in a fan, reaching to ± middle of stem, narrowly lanceolate to linear, sometimes falcate, 2–7(–15) mm wide, soft-textured, sometimes somewhat fleshy, central and sometimes one or more secondary veins lightly thickened, margins occasionally lightly thickened, rarely lightly crisped. Spike inclined, lightly flexuose, flowers in 2 ranks, 5–12-flowered; bracts greenish or flushed purpl-grey, outer (13–)18–23(–30) mm long, inner slightly shorter to ± as long, notched apically. Flowers greyish green to dull purple, lower 3 tepals with bright yellow to greenish transverse band in upper 1/3 edged distally darker purple, strongly scented of violets; perianth tube narrowly and obliquely funnel-shaped, 9–14 mm long; tepals with papillate ridges along sutures, dorsal longest, narrowly oblong-spathulate, strongly arched, 20–35 × 3–6 mm, upper laterals narrowly spade-shaped, with claws 2–4 mm wide, limbs triangular to lanceolate, 12–16 × 6–17 mm, curving outward distally, somewhat attenuate, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 2–4 mm and together for 1–2 mm, 11–20 mm long, arching downward, lower median slightly longer or shorter than laterals but ± twice as wide. Filaments strongly arched, 20–25 mm long, exserted 6–20 mm from tube; anthers 5–11 mm long, lilac to purple; pollen cream. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle to upper 1/2 of anthers, branches 3.5–5 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid or occasionally globose, then ± 3-lobed and retuse, 10–23 mm long. Seeds ovate to rotund, 6–8 × 5–6 mm, broadly and evenly winged. Flowering time: August and September, occasionally in October or November in Kamiesberg.
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