Watsonia marlothii L.Bolus

Plants 600-1200 mm high. Corm depressed-globose, 30-45 mm diam.; tunics coarsely netted. Stem with up to 6 short, stiffly erect branches. Leaves 4 to 6, lower 3 or 4 ± basal, uppermost partly sheathing stem, ± half as long as spike, narrowly lanceolate, 14-30 mm wide, midrib and margins heavily thickened and hyaline; bract-like cauline leaves 1 or more, tightly sheathing. Spike 16-to 40-flowered; bracts green below, dry and brown apically, 9-12 mm long, acuminate, inner 2/3 to ± as long, somewhat membranous, deeply forked up to halfway. Flowers zygomorphic, red to pale pink, rarely purple or whitish; perianth tube with lower part 10-12 mm long, emerging 3-4 mm from bracts, upper part ascending to horizontal, subcylindric, 14-18(-22) mm long, 4-5 mm diam. at mouth; tepals oblanceolate, 12-16 x 6-8 mm, all widely spreading. Filaments unilateral, arcuate, 25-30 mm long, exserted 7-12 mm from tube; anthers 5-9 mm long. Style arching over stamens, dividing near middle of anthers, branches ± 7 mm long. Capsules ovoid to subglobose, 9-11 mm long. Seeds unknown.