Description :

• Fibrous perennials, branched from base with branches up to about 150 mm long, unbranched above
• Leaves ± persistent, tristichous, sheathing at base, spreading-recurved, linear-lanceolate, 100-200 mm long, sharply keeled and serrated towards apex, interspersed along stems with series of sheathing, bract-like leaves
• Flowers single on terminal, thin, subpersistent peduncles 50-150 mm long
• Perianth 20-30 mm in diameter, pale lilac to white, turning green on ageing
• Stamens erect; anthers subsessile, linear, basifixed
• Ovary 3-angled, without multicellular hairs, obovoid, with many ovules on 2 thick placentas in each locule; style elongate; stigma capitate
• Fruit sharply 3-angled
• Seeds sausage-shaped, on thickened funicle

Nomenclature:

• Talbotia Balf.
  • Balfour: 192 (1867)
  • Coetzee et al.: 3 (1973)
  • Smith & Ayensu: 183 (1974)
• Vellozia in sense of Baker
  • Baker: 245 (1896) in part
  • Hilliard & Burtt: 32 (1971)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 1: Talbotia elegans Balf., Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal