Moraea tulbaghensis

Moraea tulbaghensis, sometimes called the orange flappie or rooiflappie (red iris) or in Afrikaans, is a cormous perennial that may reach 30 cm in height. The plant grows in the winter rainy season, becoming dormant and reduced to the underground corm in summer. The leaves are long and narrow.

The flowers have three conspicuous, spreading tepals, round-tipped and orange with dark purple to black crescents near the base and three inconspicuous, tiny ones. Each flower lasts about three days, but several will follow in sequence in an inflorescence, corollas appearing from the leaf-like green spathes. The flowers open fully on the bright sunny days only. Bloomtime is spring.

The species distribution is restricted in the southwest of the Western Cape, from Piketberg to Paarl. The photo was taken in the Elandsberg Private Nature Reserve where spectacular spring flowering of the species may still be witnessed.

The habitat is shale and clay renosterveld and alluvial fynbos. The habitat population is deemed threatened due to invasive alien vegetation, farming and plant collection (iNaturalist; https://www.botanikks.com; www.plantzafrica.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).