Crocosmia
Perennial herb, leaves and flowers annual; corm globose, with outer layers of netted fibres. Leaves mostly basal, ensiform, flat, glabrous, soft. Inflorescence with scape erect, branched, flowers distichous. Primary bracts 5–8 mm long. Flowers zygomorphic or sub-actinomorphic, yellow to orange; perianth tube narrow at base, funnel-shaped distally, ± curved, lobes sub-equal or perianth bilabiate; stamens symmetrically or asymmetrically arranged around the style, anthers linear, versatile; style thread-like, divided into 3 branches above level of anthers, each branch short, recurved, slightly expanded at apex. Capsule depressed-globose, 3-lobed; seeds few, globose, shiny.
9 species of southern Africa; 1 hybrid, commonly cultivated as a garden ornamental, is naturalised in Australia.
Conn, B.J. (1994). Iridaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 686–716. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
