Moraea bipartita L.Bolus

Plants mostly 200-350 mm high. Corm ± 15 mm diam.; tunics of hard, dark brown to black fibres. Stem several-branched, sheathing leaves green, becoming dry at tips, mostly 25-35 mm long. Foliage leaves usually 3 or 4, rarely only 2, linear, channelled, 2-6 mm wide, lowermost ± basal and usually exceeding stem, upper leaves shorter. Rhipidial spathes often becoming dry and brown above, attenuate; inner (20-)25-45 mm long, outer ± 1/2 as long. Flowers fugaceous, pale blue to blue-mauve or violet, scented of burned vanilla or unscented, outer tepal limbs with small to large yellow nectar guides at bases sometimes edged white, ± half reflexed; tepals lanceolate, outer 16-30 mm long, claws ± 1/3 as long as limbs; inner smaller, 14-25 mm long. Filaments 4-6 mm long, united in lower 2/3; anthers ± 5 mm long, pale mauve; pollen white. Ovary ovoid, 4-5 mm long, usually partly exserted at flowering; style branches ± 5 mm long, crests 5-8 mm. Capsules ellipsoid broadly ovate, ± 9 mm long. Seeds angular.