Chasmanthe

Herbs, perennial, from corms. Stems simple or branched. Leaves several; blade plane, ensiform. Inflorescences spicate, axes usually lightly flexed, many-flowered; bracts green or purplish, ± equal, coriaceous. Flowers unscented, zygomorphic; tepals connate into tube, orange to scarlet (rarely yellow), unequal, dorsal tepal horizontal, more than 2 times others, other tepals spreading to reflexed; perianth tube slender, cylindric proximally, abruptly expanded, longer, wider, horizontal distally; stamens unilateral, extended horizontally below dorsal tepal; anthers parallel; style arching over filaments, branching opposite to or beyond anthers; branches 3, filiform, shallowly notched apically. Capsules irregularly globose, cartilaginous. Seeds 2–4 per locule, globose; seed coat bright orange, sometimes somewhat fleshy. x = 10.

Distribution

South Africa.

Discussion

Species 3 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

De Vos, M. P. 1985. Revision of the South African genus Chasmanthe (Iridaceae). S. African J. Bot. 51: 253–261.

Lower Taxa

Chasmanthe floribunda