Moraea longifolia Pers.

Plants 600-2000 mm high. Corm 15-20 mm diam.; tunics of fine, light brown fibres. Stem ± straight, simple or 1-to 3-branched from lower nodes, lateral rhipidia sessile, each subtended by sheathing leaf often entirely concealing rhipidia. Foliage leaves 3 or 4(5), linear, ascending below, bent and trailing distally, lowermost longest, 250-600 mm long, progressively shorter above, 6-12(-20) mm wide, ± flat or channelled. Rhipidial spathes attenuate, dry at tips, inner 3.5-5.5(-7.5) mm long, outer slightly shorter. Flowers fugaceous, stellate, pale yellow, usually only outer tepal limbs with inconspicuous, slightly darker yellow nectar guides, odourless or faintly scented; tepals with claws ± 2 mm long, clasping filament column, limbs spreading, outer with limbs 19-27 x 8-11 mm, inner 16-23 x 6-9 mm. Filaments 4-6 mm long, united in lower 2-3 mm; anthers 5-6 mm long before anthesis, yellow; pollen yellow. Ovary 8-12 mm long, exserted, style branches divided to base in filiform, horizontally extended arms 4-6 mm long. Capsules obovoid-clavate, truncate, 12-16(-23) mm long, exserted, splitting for 1/2 to 3/4 their length. Seeds angular, 2.0-2.3 mm long.

It is a subtropical plant.

The corm or bulb is eaten as a snack and also cooked as a vegetable.