Moraea umbellata Thunb.

Plants 150-450 mm high. Corm globose-ovoid, up to 20 mm diam., slightly asymmetric with a fibrous downward extension on one side, with many cormlets clustered around base; tunics brown, inner layers unbroken, outer layers becoming partly fibrous, sometimes entirely with age. Stem erect, with long, basal internode and branches clustered in umbellate fashion. Leaves 2 to 4, inserted well above ground, clustered at bases of branches, lowermost up to 400 mm long, others shorter, channelled, falcate to trailing. Rhipidial spathes green with brown tips, ± truncate or lacerate at apex, rarely acute, inner 30-40 mm long, outer ± half to nearly as long, sheathing entirely or free distally. Flowers fugaceous, pale yellow flushed brownish outside, bases of all tepal limbs with dull yellow nectar guides at bases, tepal claws forming a windowed cup below enclosing filaments, limbs spreading horizontally, somewhat undulate; outer tepals 19-30 x 9-12 mm, claws narrow, 5-7 mm long; inner 17-28 x 8-10 mm long. Filaments 6-7 mm long, united entirely or free and diverging in upper 1.0-1.5 mm, column smooth; anthers 3.0-3.5 mm long, narrowly diverging; pollen yellow. Ovary ovoid, 5-7 mm long, exserted or partly(-entirely) included; style branches ± 2 mm long, narrow, appressed to and shorter than anthers, bilobed at tips, lacking crests. Capsules and seeds unknown.