Scadoxus membranaceus (Baker) Friis & Nordal

Herb, 30-50 cm high, with a short rhizomateous corm, often carrying fleshy roots in the lower part and old fleshy leaf bases that form a bulb on the top. Diameter of corm and bulb 1.2-3 cm. Leaves 2-6, arising directly from the bulb without forming a false stem with the sheathing parts of the petioles. Petioles and peduncles are surrounded by a few cataphylls. Petiole 8-20 cm long. Lamina lanceolate, usually broadest near the middle, 10-20(-35) cm long and 3-7(-13) cm broad, with a more or less acute apex and attenuate base, midrib prominent below, with 4-8 nerves, on each side, margin entire and not undulated. Peduncle 15-25(-40) cm long. Leaves developed at the same time as the inflorescence. Petioles and peduncle often spotted with red. Inflorescence a conical umbel, 2-4.5 cm in diameter, consisting of 10-20(-30) flowers, and surrounded by 4(-5) large, more or less equal involucral bracts. The bracts remain intact and erect until fruiting stage, 3.5-5.5(-7.5) cm long and 1.5-3.5(-6) cm broad, shape varying from lanceolate, elliptic, obovate to spathulate, apex of bracts rounded, obtuse and acute. Bracts green, red or a combination of green and red. Ephemeral, filiform, hyaline bracts between the flowers. Pedicels green, 0.3-0.5 cm long. Ovary green, subglobose, 0.2-0.3 cm long. Perianth tube 2.5-7 mm long. Perianth segments erect, 1.2-1.9 cm long, 1-2(-3) mm broad, with 1-3 nerves. Filaments filiform, 1.8-2.6 cm long at anthesis, always reaching above the perianth segments. Anthers versatile, 1-3 mm long, yellow. Style when ripe a few mm longer than the filaments. Colour of flower pale greenish to pink. Fruit a red, few-seeded berry. Pedicels elongating to about 1 cm in fruiting stage. Flowering specimens have been collected from December to April.