Ferraria divaricata flower

The flower is special to the observer once its surprisingly ornate design is inspected closely. In nature Ferraria divaricata blends into its habitat inconspicuously on short stems with flowers that are mostly cream, brown or beige. The greyish leaves may vary in length, concealing the flowering stems.

The smell is not so wonderful either. Most Ferraria species attract flies, while some are serviced by wasps for pollination. 

The ferrarias are related to the Moraea genus, both forming part of the large Iridaceae family (Manning and Goldblatt, 1996).