Ixia brevituba G.J.Lewis

Plants 150-300 mm high, stem either unbranched and then with scale-like leaves at aerial nodes, or with up to 2 short branches, erect below, inclined above, sheathed below by submembranous, red-brown cataphylls. Corm 12-20 mm diam., tunics of medium-textured, wiry, reticulate fibres, extending upward in papery collar 30-70 mm long. Leaves 3 or 4, basal, uppermost completely sheathing lower 2/3 of stem, blades suberect or lowermost slightly falcate, 1.5-2.0 mm wide, reaching to near top of stem, firm-textured, margins and midrib hyaline, lightly thickened. Spike inclined, nodding in bud, crowded, 5-7-flowered, branches fewer-flowered; bracts dry-membranous, translucent or flushed purple above, outer 5-7 mm long, acute or obscurely 3-dentate, inner ± as long as outer or slightly shorter, 2-veined and 2-toothed, margins connate in lower 1.5 mm around ovary. Flowers rotate, light purple with small dark purple stain in centre, lightly scented; perianth tube ± funnel-shaped, ± 2.3 mm long, filiform below and clasping style, flaring in distal 1 mm; tepals spreading and slightly concave distally, obovate, ± narrowed below into a short claw, 12-13 x 7-8 mm. Stamens symmetrically arranged, erect, filaments inserted at apex of tube, diverging above, 2.5 mm long, blackish purple, anthers ± oblong, 4.5-5.0 mm long, blackish purple, dehiscing laterally by narrow slits along entire length. Style dividing at or slightly above base of filaments, ± 2 mm long, branches filiform, involute, stigmatic at apex, purple, falcate, 2.0-2.5 mm long.