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Description
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Plants 150–500 mm high. Corm 25–60 mm diam.; tunics of densely matted fibres, with long collar. Stem flexed outward at ground level and then stifflyerect or inclined, unbranched, (1.5)2–3 mm diam. Basal leaves 4 or 5, dry and fragmented at flowering, in a basal fan, blades linear-lanceolate, 100–220 × 4–8 mm, acuminate, with 3 or 4 veins, not narrowed to a pseudopetiole below, firm-textured; cauline leaves 2 or 3, lowermost subulate and concealed in collar, uppermost vestigial and scale-like. Spike moderately densely ± 12–40-flowered, 150–400 mm long; bracts dry and brown, cartilaginous with membranous margins, oblong or ovate-oblong, 7–13 mm long, conspicuously apiculate, inner slightly longer. Flowers zygomorphic, dull dingy pink with dark reddish veins, unscented; perianth tube narrowly funnel-shaped, 6–11 mm long, tepals unequal, dorsal slightly larger, arched over atamans, oblanceolate-spathulate, clawed in lower 2/3, 20–25 × 3–4 mm, obtuse, other tepals suberecet and recurved distally, 15–18 × 2.5–4 mm, upper laterals connate to lower laterals for ± 1 mm and lower 3 tepals joined at base for 3–5 mm. Filaments arcuate, later suberect, 13–16 mm long; anthers 6–7 mm long, yellow with small apiculus up to 1 mm long. Style 18–23 mm long, dividing opposite middle of anthers, branches ± 2 mm long. Capsules ovoid to subglobose, inflated, 25–35 × 10–15 mm. Seeds up to 10 mm long, winged on angles. Flowering time: (Jan.–)Mar.–Apr.
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