Moraea inclinata flower

The iris-like flower of Moraea inclinata has yellow and purple nectar guides on its three bigger outer tepals. In the picture the nectar guide is roundly fringed by a ragged, dark bluish-purple stripe, inside of which some dark speckles occur on a white interior with a yellow transversal band across it in the upper half.

The inner tepals are oblong, narrower, also spreading and tapering to rounded, tongue-like tips. They lack the colourful nectar guides. Corolla colour varies from mauve to violet or blue.

The stigma branches are narrow and curved in in claw-like fashion above the corolla centre. The flower diameter reaches up to 4 cm.

The picture was taken in January, the middle of the plants normal summer flowering season. Plants growing at lower elevations flower earlier (Manning, 2009; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).