Babiana patersoniae L.Bolus

Plants 150-250 mm high. Stem suberect, usually with 1 or 2 short branches, velvety. Leaves sword-shaped, firm, pleated, closely hairy. Spike erect, 2-to 5-flowered; bracts green with dry brown apices, lightly hairy, 12-30 mm long, inner slightly shorter to ± half as long as outer, divided to base. Flowers zygomorphic, white to pale blue to mauve, lower lateral tepals partly cream-coloured to yellow, with darker red to purple markings near base, usually strongly scented of cloves, especially at night; perianth tube nearly cylindric, lightly flared in upper half, 20-30 mm long, tepals subequal, dorsal 16-25 x 8-11 mm, lower tepals joined to upper laterals for 1-2 mm, 15-22 mm long. Stamens unilateral; filaments arched, 8-12 mm long; anthers 4-5 mm long, blue to blackish, linear to ± arrow-shaped with connective expanded below; pollen cream-coloured. Ovary hairy in upper half; style dividing between base and middle of anthers, branches ± 4 mm long, with prominent, spathulate tips.