Geissorhiza karooica Goldblatt

Plants 30-60 mm high. Corm globose, ± 5 mm diam.; tunics light brown, concentric, outer layers fragmenting into unequal vertical sections. Stem simple or 2-or 3-branched from base. Leaves 4 to 6, all basal, linear, 1.0-1.8 mm wide, ± as long as stem, upper 2 or 3 sheathing stem below, erect or becoming falcate, plane, margins not thickened. Spike 1-flowered; bracts 8-12 mm long, membranous, ± dry, brown above, inner ± as long or slightly shorter than outer. Flowers zygomorphic, salver-shaped, half nodding, dark violet-purple, yellow at base of tepals and in throat; perianth tube 5-8 mm long, ± cylindric, exserted from bracts; tepals subequal, lanceolate, obtuse, 12-15 x 4-5 mm, spreading at right angles to tube. Filaments unilateral, declinate, equal, 8-10 mm long; anthers 2.5-3.3 mm long, white; pollen white. Style dividing between base and middle of anthers, branches 1.2-2.0 mm long. Capsules ± oblong, 8-11 mm long.