Watsonia wilmaniae Mathews & L.Bolus

Plants 800-1500 mm high. Corm depressed-globose, 20-30 mm diam.; tunics coarsely netted. Stem erect, usually with 1 or more short, suberect branches. Leaves 5 to 7, ± basal but upper partly sheathing stem, ± half as long as spike, lanceolate, 16-30 mm wide, midrib and margins lightly thickened and narrowly hyaline; bract-like cauline leaves 1 or more, tightly sheathing. Spike moderately densely 20-to 35-flowered; bracts green below, dry and brownish above, 7-12 mm long, inner slightly shorter to slightly longer, acute. Flowers zygomorphic, usually red to purple, sometimes pink, orange or cream-coloured; perianth tube with lower part ± 15 mm long, emerging ± 10 mm from bracts, upper part horizontal, subcylindric, 15-20 mm long, 5 mm diam.; tepals ovate, 18-22 x 7-10 mm, uppermost somewhat hooded, others widely spreading. Filaments unilateral and arcuate, 20-30 mm long, exserted 10-15 mm from tube; anthers 7-10 mm long, mauve to grey. Style arching over stamens, dividing near anther apices, branches 3-4 mm long. Capsules narrowly obovoid, 10-12 mm long. Seeds elongate-angular, with rudimentary distal and proximal wings, 4-5 x 2 mm.