Haemanthus barkerae Snijman

Bulbs forming clumps, globose, ovoid or obclavate, more or less round or slightly laterally compressed in cross section, up to 50 mm diam.; tunics unequal, overlapping, with margins either horizontal or oblique, cream-coloured, the dead parts remaining as a dark brown papery covering; the neck sometimes spotted with pink. Leaves 2, occasionally 1, recurved to suberect, appearing after the inflorescence; blade narrowly to broadly ligulate, to elliptic, 90-260(-340) mm long, (7-)20-55(-80) mm wide at the middle, canaliculate towards the base or flat; both surfaces dull to bright green or glaucous, glabrous or with a sparse covering of short or long hairs mostly on the abaxial surface; abaxial surface whitish towards the base, extensively barred with dark green in the lower half and maroon at the very base; margin reddish or green, smooth or sparsely ciliate; apex acute to sub-obtuse. Peduncle erect, up to 170 mm long, 4-10 mm across greatest diam., pale pink to brownish-pink or deep pink, sometimes slightly marbled, glabrous or occasionally with a sparse covering of short hairs. Umbel more or less spreading, narrowly to broadly obconical, 25-60 mm across. Spathe valves 4-6, spreading apart, shorter to longer than the flowers, oblong-lanceolate, 20-50 mm long, 4-16 mm broad near the middle, pale pink to magenta-rose, occasionally almost white, thin-textured but not membranous; tips acute. Flowers 7-40, pale pink to deep pink. Pedicels (4-)7-18 mm long, whitish to pink. Perianth 11-21 mm long; tube 1.5-3 mm long, narrowly campanulate; segments spreading, narrowly oblong to lanceolate, 9-18 mm long, 0.5-2 mm wide; tips obtuse to subacute. Filaments exserted by up to 10 mm, pink to white. Anthers 1.5-2 mm long when open, yellow. Ovary subglobose, 2-3 mm diam., green to brownish-pink. Style about as long as the stamens. Berries ovoid, 10-15 mm diam., pale pink with a deep pink blush, becoming pulpy, translucent and aromatic when ripe. Seeds ovoid, 5-6 mm diam., deep wine-coloured.