Watsonia elsiae Goldblatt

Plants 450-650 mm high. Corm subglobose, 25-35 mm diam.; tunics coarsely netted. Stem simple. Leaves 3 or 4, ± basal but uppermost partly sheathing stem, seldom reaching base of spike, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 7-10(-12) mm wide, midrib and margins moderately to heavily thickened and hyaline; bract-like cauline leaves 2 or 3, tightly sheathing. Spike moderately densely 20-to 30-flowered; bracts green below, dry and brown above, 8-12(-15) mm long, inner 2/3 to ± as long, acute to bifid apically. Flowers zygomorphic, bright scarlet-red; perianth tube with lower part 10-12 mm long, upper part nearly horizontal becoming somewhat pendent, bent at right angles to lower part, subcylindric, 12-15 mm long, ± 4 mm diam. at mouth; tepals oblanceolate, 13-16 x 6-8 mm, widely spreading. Filaments unilateral, arcuate, 8-10 mm long, included in tube; anthers included in tube, 4.5-6.0 mm long, yellow. Style included in tube, dividing near middle of filaments, branches 3-4 mm long. Capsules obovoid, 7-9 mm long. Seeds ± compressed, up to 5 mm long, with flattened wing-like ridge distally.