Unknown bulb

[David Lyttle]

Would some kind person be able to identify this plant for me. It is a bulb  with a very slender flowering stalk - I assume Iridiaceae. It has taken a longer time to flower than the label survived.

[Paul T]

David,

What are the leaves like?  If it is iridaceae then it is a distorted flower, as there aren't enough petals for an irid (or too many for those with only 3 petals).  The leaves might help with ID, or is it flowering without them?

[David Lyttle]

Hi Paul,

The leaves are grass-like and present. There are multiple flowers on each stem (up to 3) but each individual flower only lasts for a day.

[Paul T]

And they all have that number of petals?  The flower in the pic looks like it has 3 petals and a larger lip?  Do they all look like this or is it an abberation?

[David Lyttle]

I dont think it is aberrant - this is the last one flowering I have

[Paul T]

If it's that shape normally (i.e lip + 3 petals) then you can pretty much rule out the iridaceae as far as I know.  They're all built on 3 or 6 petals as far as I know (although sometimes some of those petals can be virtually fused into a lip).  Just trying to help narrow it down a little.

[David Lyttle]

I have doctored the image to bring up the reproductive parts if this is of any assistance.

[Paul T]

David,

Is that a single central style, with anthers/stamens around it?  I "think" so from the pic, but thought I'd ask just to be sure.  If so, then that also pretty much rules out iridaceae.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi David and Paul,
I'd agree that it's an aberrant flower if it only has what appears to me to be 5 petals and not the usual 3 x 2 arrangement.
But it could possibly be a form of Moraea, what we used to call Homeria.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Except that David said they'd all been like this, not just this one.

[David Lyttle]

 Hi Paul and Fermi,

 My plants produced some more flowers today which gave me an opportunity to look at them closely and take some more photographs.

The whole plant is quite spindly with long grass-like leaves with several flowers on each stem.
The pot contains two flowering plants and two non-floweing plants.

The flower parts are in threes an outer three coloured sepals, an inner three petals, three stamens and six styles which are not easy to see without a lens.

With everything photograped with a bit more care rather than just snap and run her goes

[t00lie]

Hello David

I wonder whether your plant is the same as one i grew from seed as Moraea lewisiae and flowered for the first time about a month ago .Mine had 2 or 3 untidy spindly grass like leaves .The flowers had a green line down the middle crest of the sepals as yours do.

Pic below taken 5-12-07.

Cheers dave

[David Lyttle]

Hi Dave,

Your plant looks very similar to mine- almost certainly is the same. I guess Morea lewisae is as good a name as any. I am not familar with the genus at all.

[Paul T]

Definitely one of the Moraeas or close allies.  Knowing now that it definitely has the 3 and 3 is the big difference to that original picture.  Solves the problem as to why the original picture had a lip...... it was just some fused petals and was an anomoly.

[Ezeiza]

Hi:
    It is one of the now Moraeas (previously Hexaglottis),lewisiae but probably longifolia. Part of a group of very easy Moraeas, not fussy about moist dormancy and tolerating slight frosts while in growth.


Regards