Thereianthus ixioides G.J.Lewis

Plants 250-500 mm high. Corm 12-20 mm diam.; tunics of coarsely netted fibres, thickened and claw-like at base, accumulating with age. Stem erect or flexed outward above second sheath. Leaves 4(5), lowermost reaching or exceeding spike, green or dry at flowering, linear, 200-400 x 1.0-2.0 mm, closely 3-ribbed, uppermost leaf entirely sheathing. Spike erect, compact, densely 6-to 12-flowered; bracts overlapping for 1/2-2/3 length, 8-13 mm long and two or three internodes long, outer acute or obtuse, either green below or entirely brown and leathery, conspicuously and closely veined, with narrow membranous margins, inner slightly shorter, ± membranous with narrow brown zones along veins. Flowers suberect, white to pale mauve (rarely midblue), unmarked or lower three tepals each with purple marking near base (rarely ± all tepals marked); perianth actinomorphic; tube straight, 7-12(-15) mm long, 0.5-1.0 mm diam. at mouth, filiform and tightly clasping style throughout, abruptly expanded in distal 1 mm, exserted 1-9 mm beyond bracts, 0.5-1.0 x as long as tepals; tepals elliptical-oblanceolate, spreading and slightly cupped or flat, 12-15 x 4-6 mm. Stamens central, erect or diverging apically with anthers spreading; filaments 3-4 mm long, swollen slightly at base and occluding mouth of perianth tube; anthers 5-7 mm long, lilac or pale yellow; pollen cream-coloured. Style central, dividing between base and middle of anther, branches ± 3-4 mm long, divided to near base. Capsules ovoid, 7-10 x 3-5 mm. Seeds ellipsoid-angled, 2-3 mm long, yellowish brown testa striate-colliculate.