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Description:
Plants small, 50–180(–250) mm high. Corm 10–15 mm diam.; tunics of pale, netted fibres. Stems usually ranched, either very short with nodes condensed, or elongated, sheathing leaves 25–35 mm long. Foliage leaves 2 or 1, linear, channelled, much longer than stem, 2–3 mm wide, margins straight; upper nodes with sheathing leaves ± as long as spathes. Rhipidial spathes membranous with prominent veins, becoming dry and transparent at flowering, inner 20–35(–40) mm long, outer slightly shorter. Flowers fugaceous, small, pale blue-mauve (rarely white), outer tepal limbs with white nectar guides edged orange distally, half reflexed; outer tepals12–18 × 5–9 mm, claws as long or slightly shorter than limbs; inner tepals12–16 mm long, limbs half reflexed. Filaments 3.5–6.0 mm long, united in lower 1/3 to 1/2; anthers2.5–4.0 mm long. Ovary ± cylindric, included, 16–23 mm long, fertile part ± 6 mm long; style branches4–7 mm long, diverging, crests 4–7 mm long, erect. Capsules ellipsoid, ± 10 mm long. Seeds dark brown, angular. Chromosome number 2n = 12. Flowering time: late spring, September–early November; opening 12:00–13:00 and collapsing after 17:00.
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