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Description:
Plantsmostly 120–350 mm high. Corm 15–20 mm diam.; tunics of coarse, dark, rigid fibres often covered with white, mealy substance. Stem either contracted, with branches produced near ground, or extended with branches produced from base and at aerial nodes; upper nodes with sheathing leaves ± as long as spathes; stem becoming loosely coiled in fruit. Foliage leaves 2, linear, flat but helically coiled from base or middle, either upright and exceeding stem, or spreading, 2.5–5.0 mm wide, with broad translucent band on adaxial midline, usually with prominent submarginal veins. Rhipidial spathes becoming dry above or completely, then ± translucent with prominent veins, inner (34–)37–45 mm long, outer slightly shorter. Flowers fugaceous, dark blue-violet, outer tepal limbs with white nectar guides at bases, ± half reflexed, odourless; outer tepals21–30 × 10–15 mm, claws ± 1/3 as long as limbs, innertepals20–26 × 7 mm long, limbs half reflexed. Filaments 5–6 mm long, united in lower 1.5–3.0 mm; anthers4.5–6.5 mm long; pollen yellow. Ovary ± cylindric, subsessile, 32–38 mm long, fertile part ± 10 mm long; stylebranches8–10 mm, diverging, crests (4–)7–11 mm long, ± linear. Capsules ellipsoid, 15–20 mm long. Seeds angular, relatively large. Chromosome number 2n = 12. Flowering time: mid September to November; opening 1:00–12:00, collapsing after 16:00.
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