Hesperantha radiata Ker Gawl.

Plants (100-)200-500 mm high. Corm sometimes with collar of fibres around base, ± bell-shaped with flat, horizontal or oblique base, 7-14 mm diam.; tunics of dark brown overlapping layers, basal margin sometimes shortly toothed, outer layers splitting from base into segments often with fringed or acute edges. Stem usually erect, unbranched, sheathed at base by a dry membranous cataphyll. Leaves 5 or 6, lower 3 or 4 basal and longest, ± linear or falcate, often thicker in centre and somewhat succulent, reaching to between middle and near base of spike, 2.0-3.5 mm wide, uppermost 1 or 2 leaves often entirely sheathing and bract-like. Spike mostly 5-to 15-flowered, straight; bracts 10-15 mm long, sometimes overlapping the one above, outer with margins united around axis for at least half its length. Flowers nodding to half pendent, crepuscular, white, creamy white, dull yellow or sometimes brown, outer tepals red to purple outside, scented when open in late afternoon; perianth tube mostly 6-15 mm long, curved outward near apex; tepals 7-15(-17) x 2.5-5.0 mm. Stamens pendent; filaments 3-4 mm long; anthers 4.0-8.5 mm long, usually yellow; pollen yellow. Style branches mostly 5-11 mm long. Capsules ± cylindric, 10-18 mm long, apices exserted from bracts, splitting in upper 1/3. Seeds angular.

It is a subtropical plant. It is rare in Swaziland.