Babiana bainesii Baker

Plants mostly 150-250 mm high (leaves only), sometimes growing in tufts. Stem underground, often branched. Leaves linear to sword-shaped, pleated, much exceeding flowers, 15-25 x 3-10 mm, densely hairy, scabrid, rarely ± smooth. Spike compact, at or shortly below ground level, with lower flowers shortly stalked, 2-to 8-flowered; bracts membranous to papery, with dry, rust-coloured tips or dry and rust-coloured throughout, lightly hairy, outer mostly 35-60 mm long, inner slightly shorter, forked at apex. Flowers zygomorphic, blue to violet or mauve, tepals paler (rarely white) toward edges, lower lateral tepals with white markings often edged in dark blue, usually sweetly scented; perianth tube mostly 40-60(-70) mm long, cylindric with expanded throat; tepals unequal, dorsal 40-50 mm long, upper laterals joined to lower tepals for ± 6 mm in a lip, lower tepals 25-40 mm long. Stamens unilateral; filaments 10-15 mm long; anthers 8-10(-12) mm long. Ovary smooth, lower flowers shortly stipitate; style usually dividing close to anther tips, branches ± 6 mm long.