Ixia contorta Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Plants (70-)100-300 mm high. Corm subglobose, 10-14 mm diam., bearing 1-few sessile cormlets at base; tunics of medium-textured to fine, dark, wiry, netted fibres. Leaves 3, lower 2 linear to narrowly sword-shaped or falcate, (2-)3-5 mm wide, ± 1/3 as long as stem, margins and main vein moderately thickened, uppermost leaf sheathing lower 1/2 of stem. Stem suberect, usually with 1 to 3 short, twisted branchlets mostly held at 60-90° to main axis. Main spike conspicuously flexuose, bent at base and inclined to ± horizontal, 2-to 6-flowered, lateral spikes 1-to 6-flowered; bracts mostly 7-9 mm long, translucent, often flushed brown or purple, outer 3-veined, bluntly 3-lobed apically, inner 2-veined, forked apically. Flowers upright, purple (or said to be blue) with a yellow cup sometimes edged with a band of dark purple, unscented; perianth tube funnel-shaped, 9-13(-14) mm long; tepals subequal, 9-12 x (4.5-)6.0-8.0 mm. Filaments ± 3 mm long, included; anthers 3-4 mm long, lower 1/3-1/2 included in tube. Style dividing opposite middle of anthers, branches ± 1 mm long, extending between anthers.