Corm up to 2.5 cm diam. Leaves 7–30 cm long, 0.4–1.5 cm wide. Inflorescence 4–10-flowered, arranged on a flexuose axis. Primary bracts dry and membranous, dark brown. Flowers sub-actinomorphic, bright orange or orange-red, sometimes pinkish-orange, lobes with yellow stripes or marks which are sometimes raised into a low ridge on lower lobes. Perianth tube 1.0–1.2 cm long, narrow basally, expanded distally; lobes 1.8–2.5 cm long, each lobe spreading, concave. Stamens irregularly arranged around style or asymmetrically arranged to one side of flower; anthers pale brown with dark brown margins.
VVP, GipP, HSF. Also naturalised WA, SA. Native to South Africa. Plants sometimes persisting in abandoned gardens.
Tritonia crocata closely resembles T. squalida, differing principally in flower colour. Colour differences remain in dried specimens, dried flowers of T. squalida turn a dirty mauve colour, while those of T. crocata remain dull pink or red.
