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Description:
Plants 250–350 mm high. Corm 12–18 mm diam., tunics brittle-papery, usually broken into vertical fibers below. Leaves of flowering stem 2 or 3, almost to entirely sheathing, 40–80 mm long, sometimes with short nonsheathing blades 10–30 mm long, inserted on lower half of stem, sparsely pubescent on sheaths and blades; leaves of non-flowering individuals evidently solitary, linear, c. 2 mm wide, sparsely pubescent. Stem erect, unbranched, lower half sheathed by leaves, upper half occasionally with short sheathing leaf bract 20–30 mm long below first flower, this with open sheath, c. 1.5 mm diam. at spike base. Spike (1–)2- to 4-flowered; bracts 15–20 mm long, green or membranous, usually dry and brownish above at anthesis, inner about as long as outer or slightly longer, bifid. Flowers cream to pale lemon-yellow, tepals symmetrically disposed, fragrant; perianth tube 50–75 mm long, cylindric, very slightly expanded in upper third; tepals subequal, lanceolate, (15–)18–22 mm long, inner 3 slightly shorter than outer. Filaments unilateral, included or exserted 1–2 mm from tube; anthers c. 7 mm long. Ovary broadly ovoid, 3.5–4 mm long; style dividing near anther apices, branches c. 4 mm long. Capsules ovoid-ellipsoid, 13–15 mm long; seeds broadly winged, 6–7 x c. 4 mm. Flowering time: November to early January.
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