Ixia rapunculoides Redouté

Plants mostly 150-400 mm high. Corm subglobose, mostly 14-18 mm diam.; tunics of firm, wiry fibres accumulating in dense mass, with small cormlets at base. Stem erect, nodding above, with several to many (up to 10) short, thread-like, ascending to horizontal branchlets subtended by obtuse bracts and prophylls ± 1(-2) mm long. Leaves (2)3(4), lower 2 lanceolate to falcate, mostly (3-)7-12 mm wide, ± 1/4-1/2 as long as stem, margins thickened, sometimes lightly crisped, uppermost leaf sheathing stem, rarely unifacial in upper 10-30 mm. Main spike mostly 3-to 5-flowered, lateral spikes (1)2-to 5 flowered; bracts translucent sometimes tinged brown especially in fruit, outer with 3 dark veins, mostly 5-6 mm long, 3-toothed or bluntly 3-lobed, inner ± as long, with 2 dark veins, forked apically. Flowers ± half to fully nodding, pale blue (mauve or blue-grey) with pale yellow cup, or pink with white cup, faintly rose-scented or evidently unscented; perianth tube 5.5-8.0(-10.0) mm long, widely funnel-shaped, flaring in upper 3-5 mm; tepals subequal, ovate, 11-16 x 4.5-6.0 mm, proximal ± 3 mm forming part of floral cup, spreading distally. Filaments 2-3 mm long, inserted 2-4 mm above base of tube; anthers 2.3-3.5 mm long, half exserted from tube but included in floral cup, pale yellow. Style dividing shortly below anther tips, branches 0.7-1.2 mm long, not reaching anther tips.