Albuca longipes buds

The green-keeled buds of Albuca longipes are already arranged in flat-topped racemes in picture, the pedicels of the lower flowers longer, angling up to present their buds erectly at similar heights. This is roughly the arrangement they will retain throughout flowering and fruit development, although the pedicels may elongate. The specific name, longipes, is derived from the Latin words longus meaning long and pes meaning foot, the epithet literally meaning long-footed, referring to the long pedicels or flower stalks.

There is a long, pointed bract, papery and whitish, below each flower pedicel.

The long, thin leaves emerging from the ground next to the stalks are shorter than the inflorescences. They are already drying out and turning brown before the first flower has opened (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).