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Description:
Plants 300–600 mm high. Corm globose, 9–15 mm diam., often with stolons from base; tunics of fine to fairly coarse fibres. Stem ± erect, inclined above sheath of uppermost basal leaf, usually with 1 or 2 branches Leaves (4)6 to 9, lower 2 to 7 basal, shorter or slightly longer than stem, linear, (1–)2–3 mm wide, oval in section, margins not raised, cauline leaves shorter, usually entirely channeled. Spike slightly inclined, weakly secund, 5–12(–15)-flowered; bracts pale green, often becoming dry and light brown above, outer 10–15 mm long, inner slightly shorter. Flowers actinomorphic, star-like, white to cream or pale lilac, tepals with obscure narrow brown or purple median streak, reverse of tepals usually lightly feathered with greenish to brownish purple, intensely sweetly scented; perianth tube funnel-shaped, 5–7 mm long, included or shortly exserted from bracts; tepals subequal, spreading, elliptic, 14–20 × 5–8 mm. Filaments 5–7 mm long, exserted 3–4 mm from tube, parallel and contiguous; anthers (4–)5–6(–7) mm long, erect or diverging; pale yellow; pollen yellow. Style central, enclosed by filaments, dividing between base and upper 1/3 of anthers, branches 4–5 mm long. Capsules elongate-ellipsoid to oblong, 12–17 × 5 mm. Seeds ovate, ± 6 × 4 mm, broadly and evenly winged. Flowering time: mid August to late October, occasionally in November; flowers opening ± 07:00 and closing 11:45 to 12:15.
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