Ixia polystachya white with blue centre

Blue centres in white Ixia polystachya flowers were seen near the Kirstenbosch garden area during November. This one is dark, blackish near the small mouth of the long corolla tube. The blue patch has an uneven perimeter into the white.  

The tepal lobes are ovate, the inner whorl of three appearing slightly narrower than the outer three below them. Spreading of the tepals is a function of flower age, the oldest flowers still presenting a shallow bowl rather than full extension to a flat surface.

Green buds transform to shades of cream yellow before becoming white here. The species has multiple options in its colour palette. The trusted pollinators are not picky. Hungrily they keep a large variety of I. polystachya flower colours in business.