Cyrtanthus macmasteri Snijman

Deciduous, bulbous herb, 200-250 mm tall when flowering. Bulb solitary, hypogeal, depressed globose, 25-35 x 30-35 mm diam.; outer tunics papery and brown, extended into a slender neck up to 90 mm long. Leaves 1 or 2 each season, most often dying back before flowering and emerging anew after flowering, strap-shaped, 150-320 x 6-7 mm, narrowing up to 2 mm at base and apex, glabrous, somewhat glaucous, reddened at base; adaxial surface channelled; abaxial surface distinctly keeled; margins and midrib minutely papillate towards base. Inflorescence 3-6-flowered; scape erect, up to 190 mm long, 4-5 mm diam., tapering distally, glaucous green, flushed with pink near base, solid at base but hollow above; spathe valves 2, equitant, lanceolate, 50-57 x 8-9 mm, herbaceous, reddish turning pale brown, inner withering and reflexing before outer; bracteoles filiform, ± 5 mm long; pedicels erect, ranging from 15-55 x 1.5-2.0 mm in each inflorescence, pale green. Flowers secund, spreading horizontally or slightly drooping, opening ± synchronously; perianth funnel-shaped, 37-42 mm long, scarlet, inner surface of tube whitish pink with 6 scarlet streaks leading downwards from tepal sinuses, not scented, producing nectar; tube 25-30 mm long, lower 10 mm narrow, 2-4 mm diam., curved at ± 90o, upper 15-20 mm flaring open to 10-13 mm at throat; tepals ovate, 10-14 x 6-8 mm, outspread at anthesis, outer and inner almost equal, 5-7-veined, firm-textured, without a thickened midrib; apex obtuse, mucronulate; mucro white. Stamens biseriate, regular, arising ± three quarters up tube, outer attached 3-4 mm below inner; anthers dorsifixed, oblong, up to 3 mm long, yellow. Ovary ellipsoidal, 5-6 x 2-3 mm, green; ovules axile, ± 25 per locule; style pressed against lower tepals, up to ± 9 mm long, exserted beyond stamens, white to scarlet distally; stigma 3-branched, branches slender, truncate, ± 2.0 x 0.5 mm, papillate on inner surface. Capsule narrowly elliptical, ± 30 x 8 mm, 3-valved, valves reflexing when dry. Seeds flattened, up to 10 x 4 mm, blackish.