Tritoniopsis lesliei L.Bolus

Plants 350-650 mm high. Corm 15-20 mm diam.; tunics of densely matted fibres, with long fibrous collar. Stem slender, suberect, with 1 or 2 slender, suberect branches, 1-2 mm diam. Basal leaves 3 to 5, dry at flowering, blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 130-250 x 3-5 mm, acuminate, with 1 or 2 veins, narrowed into a slender pseudopetiole ± as long as the blade; cauline leaves 3 to 5, lowermost leaf-like with blade up to 80 mm long, upper reduced and bract-like, entirely clasping, acuminate, dry and reddish brown. Spike laxly 3-to 7(-10)-flowered, 70-150 mm long, lateral spikes 1-to 3-flowered; bracts dry and brown, leathery, lanceolate, 12-16 mm long, acute to acuminate, inner oblong, as long as or slightly longer than outer. Flowers actinomorphic, suberect, bright red, unscented; perianth tube slender, subcylindric, 20-25 mm long, expanded in upper 2-3 mm; tepals subequal or outer slightly broader, suberect below, spreading in distal half, forming a wide cup, shortly and broadly clawed near base, obtuse or subacute, 18-28 mm long, outer oblong or obovate, 7-12 mm wide, inner oblong or oblanceolate, 7-9 mm wide. Filaments central, erect, later slightly arcuate, 16-19 mm long; anthers 6-7 mm long, reddish, with apiculus 0.5 mm long. Style erect, 30-35 mm long, dividing below base of anthers, branches 3-4 mm long. Capsules inflated, ovoid, 12-18 x 7-10 mm. Seeds up to 6 mm long, narrowly winged on angles.