Lachenalia canaliculata flowers

The somewhat urn-shaped flowers of Lachenalia canaliculata are stalkless, broad-based and tapering to tips markedly longer on the inner three segments (tepals) than the outer three.

The bottom segment tip veers down like a sagging lower lip, away from the others forming an otherwise about circular perianth mouth. The tips of the inner three tepals are pink-purple, more so on lower flowers as if lipstick is more lavishly applied to old than young mouths.

Gaps between the short, outer tepal margins appear green, showing the longer, inner tepals to be green low down on the exposed parts of their outside surfaces otherwise concealed (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).