Babiana framesii L.Bolus

Plants 100-200 mm high. Stem short, reaching up to 20 mm above ground, simple or often with 1 or 2 short branches, sheathed below by thick collar of compact fibres. Leaves crowded basally, lanceolate, pleated, shortly hairy. Spike compact, suberect, 4-to 8-flowered; bracts green with dry tips turning brown with age, with short and long silky hairs, 40-50 mm long, inner ± as long as outer, forked apically. Flowers zygomorphic, dark blue-purple, lower lateral tepals with arrow-shaped white markings in midline, lightly sweet-scented; perianth tube 60-70 mm long, cylindric, slightly curved below throat; tepals subequal or dorsal up to 3 mm longer, 23-33 x 5-9 mm, spreading nearly horizontally. Stamens unilateral; filaments suberect, 10-12 mm long; anthers 7-9 mm long. Ovary smooth; style dividing opposite upper 1/3 of anthers, branches ± 4 mm long.