Moraea saxicola leaf

The single, large leaf of Moraea saxicola exceeds the stem in length but arches and curves along the ground, twisted, straight or sickle-shaped, while the flower stem is erect.

The leaf is channelled or flat and up to 8 mm wide. Its margins are wavy, sometimes crisped. The small leaf next to the stem in picture, like a cataphyll, probably has nothing to do with the Moraea plant, although a similar small leaf was noted in another photo of the species, presumed to be chance juxtaposition (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).