Plants medium-sized to large, 0.3-0.8 m high, solitary or in clumps of 2-several plants joined together. Roots numerous in a dense fascicle, young roots yellow, up to 300 mm long and thickened throughout, up to 4 mm in diameter at end of season; skin becoming dark orange and flesh lighter orange, lateral roots developing in second season; many dead and withered greyish brown pieces of old roots remaining. Stem disc up to 12 mm high, 15 mm in diameter, orange-coloured internally. Fibrous sheathing neck up to 10 long, 70 mm wide at base; fibres fine to medium, partly reticulate to straight. Leaves rosette-forming, erect, 5-13; base of all leaves expanded to form a sheath up to 90 mm long, whitish with green longitudinal veins prominent; lamina narrowly subulate, size varying, largest towards the outside up to 700 x 25 mm, inner becoming gradually shorter and narrower, bright green, fleshy, glabrous, canaliculate; margin smooth. Raceme broadly conical in flower and bud, up to 170 mm long, 55 mm wide, becoming more cylindrical and up to 300 mm long in flower and fruit, with100-250 flowers; peduncle up to 650 mm long, 8 mm in diameter, terete, bright green basally, sometimes becoming reddish above; bracts narrowly triangular, 6-12 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide at base, membranous, becoming brown with age, with a brown midrib. Flowers stellate, up to 12 mm in diameter; pedicels up to 25 mm long, wiry. Tepals connate at extreme base only, equal to subequal, 4.25 x 2.5 mm, elliptic, bright yellow or cream-coloured, with a raised vein showing well in pressed material, green or pale yellow. Filaments adnate to base of tepals, filiform, apiculate, 3- long, 1.5 mm wide, yellow or cream-coloured. Ovary subglobose to ovoid, up to 1.5 mm long, 1.5 mm wide; style cylindrical, 2.5 mm long. Capsule ovoid, up to 6.5 mm long, 3.5 mm wide, chestnut-brown becoming darker with age, hard, seeds freely released. Seeds up to 7 mm long, 3.25 mm wide, silvery black with lighter wings or wings not obvious.
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Rhizomatous geophyte, up to 1 m tall, neck fibrous, roots orange-yellow. Leaves 5-13, slender and tapering, erect to spreading, up to 25 mm wide, channelled. Flowers in a conical raceme to 55 mm wide, yellow (from Loeriesfontein to Roggeveld Escarpment and to Citrusdal) or cream with peach to yellowish buds (in SW Cape).
Rhizomatous geophyte to 1 m. Leaves linear, channelled. Flowers in a conical raceme, yellow or cream-coloured.
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