Freesia fergusoniae L.Bolus

Plants 60-200(-300) mm high. Corm conic, 15-20 mm diam., tunics of pale, coarse-textured fibres, accumulating. Stem erect or flexed upward above uppermost sheath and then suberect, minutely papillate at least toward base, usually simple. Leaves (5-)7-13, prostrate to inclined, oblong to lanceolate, usually < half as long as stem, 40-140(-200) x 6-16 mm, obtuse to subacute. Spike deflexed or horizontal, (2-)4 to 8(-12)-flowered; bracts obovate, firm-textured, green with hyaline margins, 4-7(-10) mm long, inner slightly shorter. Flowers (25-)30-45 mm long, pale yellow to cream-coloured (± white), ± flushed dull purple on reverse of tepals, base of lower tepals marked orange, strongly violet-scented; perianth tube funnel-shaped, (15-)20-25 mm long with basal tubular portion 5-9 mm long, widening ± abruptly into flared upper portion; tepals unequal, dorsal largest, suberect, ovate, 13-18 x 8-14 mm, upper laterals slightly narrower, lower tepals recurved, 12-14 x 8-12 mm. Filaments arcuate, 14-20 mm long, included; anthers 6-8 mm long. Style dividing at or slightly beyond anther apices. Capsules oblong, 10-12 x 8-10 mm, papillate. Seeds obliquely subglobose with inflated chalaza and raphe, 2.5-3.0 mm diam., wrinkled, glossy reddish brown.