Afrosolen masukuensis (Vaupel & Schltr.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Plants 400-600 mm high. Corm bell-shaped, ± 15 mm diam.; tunics light brown, of ± leathery layers with reticulate surface, becoming loosely fibrous and netted with age. Stem usually several-branched, compressed and 2-angled to winged below, 3-angled and slightly winged above branches. Leaves 4 to 6, lowermost inserted close to ground and longest, usually shortly exceeding inflorescence, linear-lanceolate, central vein prominent, 3-5 mm wide, remaining leaves progressively shorter above. Inflorescence a branched spike or round-topped false panicle, main axis ± straight, dominant, major ultimate branches with 5 to 9 sessile flowers, often crowded distally with bracts overlapping and (1.0-)1.5-2.0 internodes long; bracts 5-7 mm long, green at anthesis, later dry and membranous, then either pale below or throughout or brownish above, streaked brown on veins, inner ± as long as outer or slightly shorter. Flowers zygomorphic, either dark blue to violet or greenish cream-coloured, lower tepals each with purple to red and white spear-shaped median streak in basal half; perianth tube cylindric, (15-)20-25 mm long, slightly expanded in upper 4 mm; tepals subequal with dorsal slightly larger, lanceolate, 8-10 x ± 3 mm, spreading at right angles to tube and lying in ± same plane with dorsal reflexed and held apart. Stamens unilateral, ± erect; filaments ± 5 mm long, exserted 2.5-3.0 mm; anthers 3.5 mm long, probably pale yellow when alive. Style unilateral, arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle to upper 1/3 of anthers; branches ± 2.2 mm long, divided for ± 1/2 their length. Capsules ± globose, slightly 3-lobed, 3.5-5.0 mm diam., showing outline of seeds. Seeds globose, ± 2 mm diam.