Moraea spathulata flower

Moraea spathulata, the large yellow moraea, is a cormous perennial that may form clumps. It produces one leathery, strap-like leaf that may be flat or channelled.

The large yellow flowers are iris-like, the inner tepals erect and spoon-shaped. The spreading outer tepals have dark yellow nectar guides. The flowers are up to 7 cm in diameter.

The species distribution lies from the Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal to the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Lowveld, also found in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The habitat is grassland, forest margins and rocky places at a wide range of altitudes. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2009; http://redlist.sanbi.org).