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Description:
Plants acaulescent, branched at base, forming compact tufts 30–50 mm high, including flowers. Corm bell-shaped, 8–10 mm diam.; tunics light brown, basal rim crenate. Stem underground. Leaves 1 or 2, lowermost always longest, linear, 80–180 mm × 2–3 mm, straight or falcate, remaining foliage floral bracts, but often resembling leaves and identifiable as bracts by position. Inflorescence of several to many flowers in congested head-like structure borne at ground level, internodes very short but evident on dissection or in fruit; bracts leaf-like, wide and pale below for 15–25 mm, tapering to a green unifacial upper half resembling leaf blade and 15–40 mm long. Flowers actinomorphic, white to pale blue, then with lower third of tepals white, usually with dark blue triangular or diamond-shaped median mark near base, slightly scented of narcissus, lily or carnation; perianth tube cylindric, (25–)32–45(–55) mm long, with filaments decurrent as intrusive ridges dividing tube into 3 compartments and ± blocking tube in lower half; tepals subequal, lanceolate, (10–)12–15 × 4–5 mm, spreading horizontally or deflexed up to 30° below horizontal. Stamens symmetrically disposed around style; filaments exserted 2–3 mm from tube; anthers erect, 3–4 mm long, ± white, pollen white to ivory. Ovary oblong, 4–5 mm long; style straight and erect, usually dividing opposite middle to just below anther tips, style branches divided for 1/2 their length, 1.8–2.5 mm long. Capsules ± ovoid, 8–10 mm long, showing outline of seeds. Seeds globose, dark brown, ± 2 mm diam., with reticulate sculpturing, Chromosome number unknown. Flowering time: late August to late September.
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