not a sprekelia

[Diane Whitehead]

A woman in Florida bought this bulb as sprekelia.

Odd shape to the flower - what is that long pointy bit?

[Diane Whitehead]

I received a suggestion - not even a bulb at all, but a second cousin to
Australian Kangaroo Paws.

Diane

---  Lachnanthes caroliniana (Redroot), one of the few North American members
of the Haemodoraceae.  Redroot is a fairly common wildflower in wet areas (roadside ditches, etc.)
of the deep south.   I wouldn't be surprised if it invaded the pot where the Sprekelia expired.  ----

[Maggi Young]

Wow, that came out of left field, huh?!!  It is a monocot, at least 

I was interested to see that while the name does seem to be accepted by Kew  etc as:
 Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy  (family Haemodoraceae) , original publication details: J. Bot. 70: 329 1932........
 this site  http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=LACA5  and http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LACA5  say that the  name should be caroliana not caroliniana     
The second of those sites says :
"USDA Symbol: LACA5
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Found mostly in coastal environments from Louisiana east to Florida and Cuba and north to Nova Scotia, where it is listed as a threatened species by Canadas Species at Risk Act, Carolina Redroot has grass-like foliage and creamy yellow summer blooms that blend well with other plants native to the eastern coastal plains. It tends to be less common from Tennessee and Maryland northward and is listed as threatened, endangered, or of special concern in several US states. Its seeds are favorites of Sandhill Cranes. "

Fascinating!!
Thanks, Diane,  I would never have known that without your query - I just LOVE the way new things come to my notice here!