Moraea tortilis Goldblatt

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Iridaceae > Moraea

Characteristics

Plants 10-15 mm high. Corm ± 10 mm diam., asymmetric at base; tunics of tough, dark fibres, sometimes as accumulating in a fibrous collar around base. Stem 2 or 3 internodes long, branched at base and upper nodes, sheathing leaves green or brown entirely, 12-20 mm long. Foliage leaves basal and sometimes cauline, (1)2 or 3, terete (flattened adaxially when dry), coiled helically like a corkscrew. Rhipidial spathes green to brown below, becoming completely dry and lacerated, inner 25-40 mm long, outer ± half as long, sheathing entirely. Flowers fugaceous, blue or white, outer tepal limbs with small yellow nectar guides at bases often edged dark violet, half reflexed; outer tepals 25-35 x ± 20 mm, limb ± 2/3 as long as claws, obtuse to retuse; inner tepals to 22-30 mm long, limbs also reflexed. Filaments ± 8 mm long, united in lower half; anthers 5 mm long, yellow; pollen yellow. Ovary narrowly ovoid-ellipsoid, ± 9 mm long, included, style branches ± 10 mm long, crests narrow, ± 10 mm long, erect. Capsules ± ellipsoid, 12-13 mm long, included. Seeds angled.
More
Cormous geophyte, 100-150 mm tall, usually 1-or 2-branched. Leaves 2 or 3, terete, coiled like a corkscrew. Flowers enclosed in green to partly dry spathes, blue to white, the outer tepals with yellow nectar guides, inner and outer tepal limbs lightly reflexed, style branches diverging, crests prominent, erect.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.06 - 0.08
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture 5-6
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) -

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) 30 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°) 12 - 15
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Moraea tortilis world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:440297-1
WFO ID wfo-0000784820
COL ID 44CCD
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Moraea tortilis