Description:—A stemless plant. Bulb about 1·5 cm. in diameter, globose, covered with more or less hardened black tunics. Leaves 2-3, 14-22 cm. long, linear from an ovate base, acutely acuminate, glabrous. Bracts white or purplish, several, 3-8·5 cm. long, ·8-3·5 cm. broad, oblong, ovate-oblong or ovate, obtuse or sometimes apiculate at the apex, sometimes acuminate, many nerved (up to 50-nerved). Head about 6-flowered, hidden and overtopped by the bracts. Bracts subtending the flowers about 3·5 cm. long, lanceolate, acute, 5-nerved. Pedicel 3 mm. long, 2·5 mm. broad above, obovoid, fleshy. Perianth segments produced into a distinct claw; claw 5 mm. long, 1 mm. broad, with a more or less distinct keel; blade 6 mm. long, 3 mm. broad, ovate, cucullate, acuminate, 3-keeled. Stamens inserted at the junction of the claw and blade; filaments 9 mm. long, terete; anthers 3 mm. long, elliptic. Ovary 6 mm. long, 2·5 mm. in diameter, ellipsoid, subtrigonous; styles free, 8 mm. long, terete; stigma simple,
Plate 53.—Fig. 1, plant viewed from above (reduced); Fig. 2, inflorescence; Fig. 3, flower with bract; Fig. 4, perianth segment with stamen, front view; Fig. 5, perianth segment with stamen, side view; Fig. 6, gynaecium.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
S. Gower del.