Moraea serpentina flower and occupant

The iris-like flower of Moraea serpentina is white with a variable amount of yellow on the outer, bigger tepals and sometimes pale blue on the style branches growing with the filaments in the flower centre.

The narrower inner tepals are unmarked, sometimes erect, but not as distinctly as the oblong style branches that bend up in their free parts, forking at their tips.

The style branches alternate with the inner tepals, positioned over the outer tepals. The flower is about 35 mm in diameter.

Flowering happens in about the first half of spring. The photo was taken in September. The flowers usually last nearly one day (Manning, 2009; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).