Moraea macronyx G.J.Lewis

Plants acaulescent, 90-180(-250) mm high. Corm 10-15 mm diam.; tunics of pale fibres or entire spongy, pith-like layers, bearing cormlets at base, producing slender stolons. Stem subterranean, unbranched, bearing cormlets at nodes, with single rhipidium. Foliage leaves 2(3) (excluding opposed leaf-like spathes enclosing flowers), subopposite, channelled, suberect to falcate, smooth or lightly hairy, 120-250 mm long, margins ciliate, straight to undulate. Rhipidial spathes glaucous-green, smooth or lightly hairy, inner 80-110 mm long, outer not distinct from leaves, clasping inner only at base. Flowers fugaceous, pale yellow or sometimes style branches and crests white, outer tepal limbs with nectar guides of dark spots on a yellow field at bases often edged yellow-brown distally, spreading or recurved distally; outer tepals 40-60 x 14-20 mm, claws 25-40 mm long, half again to ± twice as long as limbs; inner tepals 30-45 x 7 mm, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, initially erect, limbs later spreading. Filaments 12-18 mm long, united in lower ± 6 mm; anthers linear, 8-10 mm long, apiculate; pollen yellow or white. Ovary cylindric, 11-15 mm long; style branches 18-20 x 5 mm, crests up to 25 mm long. Capsules and seeds not known.