Description:—Corm 3 cm. in diameter, globose, covered with fibrous tunics. Plant 1 to 1·5 m. high. Leaves 10 to 12 to a plant, equitant, up to 70 cm. long, 2·5 to 3 cm. broad, ensiform, acuminate, acute, with a prominent midrib above and beneath, and with the lateral veins distinct, with a cartilaginous margin which is sometimes very minutely denticulate, glabrous. Spike ·3 to almost 1 m. long, up to 15-flowered. Outer spathe 8 cm. long, 2·1 cm. broad, ovate, acuminate, acute, closely nerved, glabrous; inner spathe 6 cm. long, 1·8 cm. broad, ovate, acute, 2-keeled, glabrous (in the flowering stage spathes are smaller). Perianth-tube 4 cm. long, 1 cm. in diameter above, yellow on the posterior side, red on anterior side. Upper lobe 5·5 cm. long, 3·2 cm. broad, obovate, narrowed to the base, shortly cuspidate; side lobes 4·5 cm. long, 3·5 cm. broad, ovate, obtuse; lower lateral lobes 3 cm. long, 1·5 cm. broad, elliptic, narrowed to the base, acuminate, acute; lowest petal 3·5 cm. long, 1·8 cm. broad, elliptic narrowed to the base, cuspidate at the apex. Anthers 1·6 cm. long, linear, sagittate at the base. Style 7 cm. long, terete, glabrous; lobes 6 cm. long, spatulate, papillose on the margins. Young fruit 4·5 cm. long, 3-angled. Seeds winged. (National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2711.)
[Plate 116.]—Fig. 1, plant much reduced; 2, longitudinal section of flower; 3, outer bract; 4, inner bract; 5, anther with part of filament; 6, stigmas with part of style; 7, young fruit; 8, seed.
F.P.S.A., 1923.
S. Gower del.