Moraea autumnalis (Goldblatt) Goldblatt

Plants 160-300 mm high. Corm globose, ± 20 mm diam.; tunics of coarse, black fibres. Stem slightly flexed below nodes, usually 2-to several-branched (rarely simple), bearing attenuate sheathing leaves 35-60 mm long. Foliage leaf solitary, basal, ± linear, flat to broadly channelled, sheathing base of stem, barely exceeding to slightly shorter than stem, with a prominent thickened, flat apical portion. Rhipidial spathes becoming dry and brown above, attenuate, inner 45-70 mm long, outer ± 1/2 as long. Flowers probably long-lived, bright yellow, all tepal limbs with darker yellow nectar guides at bases, spreading, tepal claws erect, forming a narrow cup around filament column and bases of anthers; outer tepals 32-40 x ± 15 mm, claws 9-10 mm long, inner tepals 30-35 x 8-12 mm. Filaments united in a smooth, cylindric column 7-9 mm long; anthers narrowly diverging, 5-7 mm long, exceeding stigmatic lobes, curving inward above. Ovary ± cylindric, 8-9 mm long, exserted; style branches ± 3 mm long, crests triangular, 2 mm long. Capsules oblong, 8-15 mm long, exserted. Seeds unknown.