Thereianthus spicatus (L.) G.J.Lewis

Plants (150-)200-500(-600) mm high. Corm 10-20 mm diam.; tunics of coarsely netted fibres, thickened and claw-like at base, accumulating with age. Stem erect or flexed outward above sheath of second leaf, rarely with short branch from axil of uppermost leaf. Leaves 4(5), lowermost mostly reaching or exceeding spike, ± dry at flowering, linear, (100-)200-250 x 1-2(-4) mm, closely 3-5(-7)-ribbed, smooth or minutely scabrid on ribs and margins, uppermost leaf only rarely reaching base of spike, entirely sheathing or with short blade 20-60 mm long. Spike closely (3-)6-to 20(-30)-flowered; bracts overlapping for 1/2-2/3 length, (7-)8-13(-15) mm long and two or three internodes long, outer acute, 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, mostly pale to midblue, rarely white or pink, lower three tepals each with white marking near base outlined distally with purple chevron; perianth subactinomorphic or weakly zygomorphic; tube ± straight or slightly curved outward in distal 3 mm, (12-)15-18(-25) mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm diam. at mouth, ± dilated gradually and evenly from base to tip, exserted 6-15 mm beyond bracts, 0.8-1.8 x as long as tepals; tepals elliptical-oblanceolate, inner 3 slightly smaller, spreading and slightly cupped, 10-18 x 3-5 mm. Stamens arcuate; filaments 3-4 mm long, exserted 2 mm from tube; anthers 4-5 mm long, purple; pollen purple. Style arching above anthers, dividing at ± middle of anthers, branches 4-5 mm long, divided to near base. Capsules narrowly ovoid, 6-7 x 3 mm. Seeds ellipsoid-angled, ± 2 mm long, black or brown, testa striate-colliculate.