Ixia monadelpha D.Delaroche

Plants 200-400 mm high. Corm ± globose, 12-20 mm diam.; tunics of soft, ± papery layers. Stem simple or with 1 or 2 short, spreading branches. Leaves 4 to 7, lanceolate, ± 1/2 as long as stem, mostly 3-12 mm wide, often loosely twisted, decreasing in size above, margins slightly thickened, hyaline when dry. Spike closely 4-to 12-flowered, flexuose; bracts 5-10 mm long, dry, pale below, spotted brown distally, in upper 1/2, outer ± truncate or with conspicuous dark brown, twisted central tooth and 2 smaller lateral lobes, inner with 2 dark brown, twisted cusps. Flowers salver-shaped, grey-blue, purple, violet, or pink (white or grey-yellow), with large, dark green, reddish, brown or purple central mark, unscented; perianth tube cylindric, 10-18 mm long; tepals ± elliptic, subequal, spreading, connate for up to 1.5 mm, 13-20 x 6-11 mm. Filaments 3-6 mm long, united in lower 1/2 or entirely, purple anthers erect, 7-8 mm long; pollen pale grey-blue. Style dividing between base and middle of anthers, branches 2-3 mm long.