Babiana stricta.
B. stricta or its hybrids are the most commonly seen and they grow 30 to 40 cm high.
The 6 to 8 leaves form a basal fan.
Leaves are on a stalk from 0.5 cm up to 6 cm long.
The hairy blades are pleated or ribbed.
The hairy inflorescence stem may be unbranched or sparsely branched.
There are up to 10 flowers with hairy bracts.
The 6 tepals form a basal tube 1 to 2 cm long.
The tepal lobes, up to 2.5 cm long, are all similar.
The flowers are purple, bluish-purple, yellow or pink.
The three stamens are all on one side of flower.
The purple or yellow anthers are about 5 mm long.
The inferior ovary has a purple style that branches to hold the 3 stigmas.
Babiana ringens has branched inflorescences.
The bright red flowers have yellow lower lobes.
J.F.
