Moraea saxicola flower

The short-lived flowers of Moraea saxicola grow in slightly zigzagging cymes, opening in sequence in the mid-afternoon and closing (finally) shortly after sunset.

The flowers are large and iris-like, white or pale blue, sometimes slightly yellow. The outer three, larger tepals have yellow, blotchy nectar guides on their limbs near the base. Flower diameter is about 5 cm. There are well-developed, flat, petal-like style branches that hide the anthers.

The fruit capsule is ellipsoid, about 13 mm long, slightly beaked at its tip. The seeds are angular (Goldblatt and Manning, 2014: Taxonomy of the Moraea saxicola complex (Iridaceae: Iridoideae) of arid, western southern Africa, with the new species, M. acocksii, M. geminifolia, M. quartzicola and M. teretifolia. South African Journal of Botany, Volume 91, March 2014, Pages 75-83; Grenier, 2019; Williamson, 2010; iNaturalist).