Babiana ecklonii Klatt

Plants 100-300 mm high. Stem ± erect, often weakly flexed below spike, usually 2-to 4-branched, softly hairy, mostly sheathed by leaves. Leaves lanceolate to sword-shaped, in a tight fan, usually relatively soft-textured and lightly pleated, somewhat silky hairy. Spike 2-ranked, closely 4-to many-flowered; bracts green with dry, brown, attenuate tips, densely hairy, outer 14-25 mm long, inner ± 2/3 as long as outer, divided to base or almost so. Flowers zygomorphic, violet with large cream-coloured to pale yellow marks on lower lateral tepals, unscented; perianth tube cylindric, usually sharply curved below apex, 35-47 mm long, widening and arching outward in upper 6-8 mm; tepals unequal, dorsal suberect, 23-27 mm long, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 5-7 mm and often to one another for a short distance, forming a pronounced lower lip, lower 3 tepals 12-17 mm long, extending horizontally below, arching outward and downward above. Stamens unilateral; filaments arcuate, 14-16 mm long, diverging after anther dehiscence; anthers 5-7 mm long, pale blue or violet. Ovary hairy above or throughout, rarely hairy only on ribs; style usually dividing opposite middle of anthers, occasionally below anther bases or opposite anther tips, branches ± 4 mm long (or when style short, branches ± 2 mm long), stigmatic lobes barely expanded.