Description :

• Glabrous geophytes
• Corms usually deep-seated, tuberous, ovoid to ellipsoid to subglobose, with many basal roots, covered by thin dark tunics with a long subterranean neck; new corms forming a lateral basal bulge with tunics produced in a downward-spreading fold through which roots spread out, covered with tubular sheaths from which a cormlet may emerge; membranous, stem-sheathing cataphyll sometimes present
• Stem erect, solitary, simple, solid, short or long
• Leaves 2 or 3(4), all cauline or one basal intravaginal, alternate, spirally arranged, cauline leaves with a tightly stem-sheathing portion, leaf blade suberect to spreading or recurved, filiform to linear to lanceolate to ovate, attenuate from ± dilated base, somewhat channelled with flat margins, parallel-veined, green or glaucous, margins sometimes ciliolate, tip acute, acuminate or mucronate
• Inflorescence an ebracteate, spike-like scorpioid cyme, one- or few- to many-flowered, oblong or ovoid to narrowly oblong-cylindrical
• Flowers sessile, closely to distantly spaced
• Perianth persistent, segments 6(-8), basally connate, often to a distinct cylindrical or cup-shaped tube, sometimes minutely spurred basally; segments suberect or erecto-patent to spreading or reflexed, ovate to lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, obtuse or acute, often with a coloured spot about or below middle
• Nectary usually present, groove-like, sometimes with elevated margins
• Stamens 6(-8), distinct; filaments arising at segment base, subulate to filiform; anthers dorsifixed or rarely basifixed, versatile, bilocular, oblong to elliptic, dehiscing latrorsely with longitudinal slits
• Ovary syncarpous or hemisyncarpous, 3(4)-carpellate, normally 3-locular and somewhat 3-lobed, sessile, with several to many ovules; styles 3(4), distinctly or indistinctly set off from ovary, filiform to subulate, suberect to spreading, with a small or elongate apical stigma
• Capsule ovoid to ellipsoid to oblong, dehiscing septicidally or rarely loculicidally, entirely or to ± half its length
• Seeds several to many, globose, ± 1 mm in diameter, black or brown
• x = 11 (5, 7)

Nomenclature:

• Wurmbea Thunb.
  • Thunberg: 18, t. 1 (1781)
  • Baker: 521 (1897)
  • Nordenstam: 173 (1964)
  • Nordenstam: 211 (1978)
  • Nordenstam: 1 (1986)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Species ± 38, ± 19 in Australia
• Southern Africa : Species 18, Swaziland, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern, Western and Eastern Cape