Description:

• Deciduous perennials
• Rootstock a globose corm rooting from below, axillary in origin, tunics densely fibrous
• Stem aerial, usually simple, or few-branched, round in section
• Leaves few, lower 2 or 3 cataphylls; foliage leaves either unifacial and with a definite midrib, blades falcate or linear, or terete, then sometimes hollow, margins occasionally thickened, lowermost arising on stem above corm, longest, remaining leaves arising above ground and smaller than basal
• Inflorescence a spike, flowers distichous and crowded; bracts firm-textured, short, imbricate, dry and brown with broad membranous margins
• Flowers small, zygomorphic with arcuate stamens, shades of blue, white or purple, unscented, with nectar from septal nectaries; perianth tube short, curving outward and more or less cylindric
• Tepals subequal, dorsal arching over stamens
• Stamens unilateral and arcuate; pollen zonasulculate, exine reticulate
• Style filiform, branches deeply divided and recurved
• Capsules woody, small, oblong
• Seeds fusiform, lightly striate, matte, surface laevigate
• x = 10

Nomenclature:

• Micranthus (Pers.) Eckl.
  • Ecklon: 43 (1827)
  • Baker: 97 (1896)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species ± 3, Western Cape; mostly in sandstone soils and often in damp sites, unusual in blooming in late spring or early summer

Additional Notes:

• Species are pollinated by a variety of insects including bees, wasps, butterflies, noctuid moths, and bombyliid flies