Description :

• Perennial herbs, with tuberous rootstock, producing single, erect stems
• Leaves sessile, slender
• Flowers few to many, in 2-4 globose umbels, arranged racemosely along upper part of stem
• Sepals often with scales within base
• Corolla 5-lobed nearly to base
• Corona shortly connate at base, 5-lobed, sometimes almost as long as corolla lobes; lobes erect, spatulate-oblong or sagittate, or oblong-linear, with a transverse ridge or flap and often 2 keels on inner face, sometimes reflexed at apex, sometimes with process at base
• Staminal column arising from base of corolla
• Anthers 2-locular, with terminal, membranous appendages which are inflexed on style head
• Pollinia pendulous, curved, sausage-shaped, attached to corpuscle by doubly curved caudicles twice as long as pollinia
• Follicles narrowly fusiform, tapering to a beak
• Seeds concave on one side, convex on other, with short protuberances and a pleated rim round concave surface

Nomenclature:

• Periglossum Decne.
  • Decaisne: 520 (1844)
  • Brown: 581 (1907)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 4, all in southern Africa, all countries and provinces