Rhizomes freely branching, producing dense clumps, 1–1.5 cm diam. Stems absent or not more than 1 cm. Leaves ascending-spreading; blade grayish green, ensiform or slightly falcate, 8–10 cm × 6–15 mm at anthesis, increasing to 15–20 cm in length on innovations after flowering, dying back in autumn, new growth only in spring, glaucous. Inflorescence units 1-flowered, sessile in spathes; spathes 5–10 cm; outer darker green than inner, inner closely shielding floral tube. Flowers: floral tube with 3 purple stripes in line with midrib of petals, slender, 6–10 cm × 2–3 mm, lifting expanded portion of flower out of spathes; sepals yellow, blue, or purple, with yellowish or bluish beard, often with contrasting spot around beard at base of limb, 4–5 × 1.2–2 cm; petals with darker veins near base, rounded-ovate, broader than sepals, 4–5 × 2.2–2.7 cm, narrowing abruptly to brown-veined claw, apex emarginate; ovary rounded-trigonal, ca. 1 cm × 4–5 mm; style crests triangular, margins serrate distally; stigmas rounded on distal margin, margins entire; pedicel absent. Capsules borne on tips of rhizomes at ground level or slightly below, rounded-trigonal, with short portion of dried floral tube forming tip, smooth, 2–3.5 × 1.5–2 cm, dehiscing while green. Seeds usually in 2 rows per locule, light brown, subspherical, 3–5 mm diam., wrinkled. 2n = 30, 31, 32, 36.
Can be grown by divisions or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
Home