Thereianthus bulbiferus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Plants 140-200 mm high. Corm 10-15 mm diam.; tunics of coarsely netted fibres, sometimes forming claws below, accumulating with age. Stem erect, flexuous or flexed outward only above sheath of second leaf, rarely with short branch from upper leaf axil, developing a conspicuous cluster of 5-7 cormels in axil of lowest leaf. Leaves 4, lowermost reaching base of spike or not, ± dry at flowering, linear-falcate, often sinuous-twisted, 70-120 x (1.5-)2.0-3.0 mm, leathery, with 3 ± equally distinct veins or with main vein slightly more distinct, not thickened or raised when fresh but prominent when dry, uppermost leaf well separated from spike, usually with short blade 20-50 mm long, rarely almost entirely sheathing. Spike erect, densely 7-to 15-flowered; bracts overlapping for ± 1/2 their length, outer 7-9(-10) mm long and up to two internodes long, obtuse or truncate, either green below or entirely brown and leathery, conspicuously and closely veined, with narrow membranous margins, inner bract 1/2-3/4 as long as outer, ± membranous with narrow brown zones along veins. Flowers patent, pale to midblue, lower 3 tepals with white median mark near base; perianth actinomorphic; tube slightly curved, 7-9 mm long, funnel-shaped, exserted 2-5 mm from bracts; tepals oblanceolate, subequal or inner slightly broader, spreading and slightly cupped, (10-)13-20 x 3-6 mm. Stamens ± declinate; filaments 6-8 mm long, exserted ± 5-6 mm from tube; anthers all facing upward or median (lower) facing downward or outward, 4 mm long, purple; pollen lilac. Style ± deflexed to lie beneath stamens, dividing at middle of anthers, branches 3-5 mm long, divided to near base. Capsules ovoid, 6 x 3 mm long, slightly shorter to slightly longer than bract. Seeds subglobose-angled, 1.5-2.0 mm long, chalaza ± excavated, yellowish brown, obscurely scalariform-rugulose.