Haemanthus canaliculatus Levyns

Bulbs in clumps, narrowly ovoid, strongly compressed laterally, up to 90 mm across; tunics thick and fleshy, imbricate, distichous, cream-coloured; margins oblique, without withered brown remains. Leaves 2, occasionally 1, 3 or 4, suberect to recurved, appearing after the inflorescence and sometimes persisting for 2 years; blade narrowly ligulate, 170-400 mm long, 5-27 mm wide, canaliculate, succulent and smooth; both surfaces shiny green with darker green and reddish barring towards the base, especially on the abaxial surface; apex obtuse. Peduncle erect or curved, compressed, up to 200 mm long, 4-10 mm across greatest diam., reddish-pink to deep red, occasionally finely spotted with deeper red towards the base, glabrous. Umbel loosely spreading, 30-90 mm across. Spathe valves 5-7, somewhat spreading, slightly shorter or longer than the flowers, narrowly to broadly lanceolate, 25-70 mm long, 6-20 mm wide, brilliant red or occasionally pink, somewhat leathery; tips acute to subacute. Flowers 15-45, bright red or occasionally pink. Pedicels 6-15 mm long, reddish. Perianth 20-30 mm long; tube 3-6 mm long, widening gradually upwards; segments standing slightly apart, lanceolate, 17-24 mm long, 3-4.5 mm broad; tips acute. Filaments exserted by up to 8 mm, red or pink. Anthers 1.5 mm long, yellow. Ovary subglobose, about 2.5 mm diam., red or pink. Style mostly exceeding the stamens by up to 8 mm. Berries somewhat globose, about 20 mm diam., reddish. Seeds 1-4, mostly ellipsoid, up to 10 mm across, shiny, deep wine-red.