Watsonia wilmsii L.Bolus

Plants 450-750 mm high. Corm subglobose, 20-30 mm diam.; tunics coarsely netted. Stem erect, simple or with 1 or 2 diverging branches. Leaves 4 or 5, ± basal or upper inserted on lower part of stem, upper 1 or 2 partly or entirely sheathing, ± half as long as spike, lanceolate, 10-20(-25) mm wide, midrib moderately and margins heavily thickened and hyaline; bract-like cauline leaves 1 or 2, inserted on upper part of stem and often concealed by leaves. Spike 16-to 24-flowered; bracts greenish below but dry and brownish in upper half or entirely, later lacerate, usually clasping stem below, (20-)25-35 mm long, completely enclosing inner, inner 3-5 mm shorter, forked for ± 1 mm. Flowers zygomorphic, deep pink with dark median streak in basal half of lower tepals; perianth tube with lower part 25-30 mm long, emerging 7-10 mm from bracts, upper part poorly differentiated, horizontal, narrowly funnel-shaped, ± 15 mm long, ± 8 mm diam. at mouth; tepals suberect and flaring distally, lanceolate, 22-26 x 6-9 mm. Filaments unilateral and arcuate, 20-22 mm long; anthers 6-8 mm long, violet. Style arching over stamens, dividing near apex of anthers, branches ± 5 mm long. Capsules narrowly oblong, up to 16 mm long. Seeds angular, ± 4 x 2 mm.