Moraea neglecta flower

The flower of Moraea neglecta is large and yellow, this one photographed in Bainskloof during October. The flower is funnel-shaped with three large, spreading to flexed down outer tepal lobes and three smaller, narrowly oblong inner tepals that are straighter and ascend.

Only the outer tepals have nectar guides at the base, streaked with tiny dark dots lower down and where the guides end. The filaments are joined only at the base and face away from the stigma, for pollination to arrive from other flowers. The erect style branches are longer than the style crests, the horizontal stigma at the base of the crest.

Each flower lasts for a few hours only, from early afternoon to dusk. Flowering happens in spring (Manning, 2007; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iSpot).