Romulea sabulosa leaves and buds

Several needle-like, green leaves emerge from the ground next to these Romulea sabulosa flower stalks. They get slightly longer than the height of the flowers, but so thin and curving or leaning to the side that they tend to be overlooked.

The more substantial, duckbill-like buds on fleshy, purple-red stalks, tomorrow’s flowers, are more noticeable. The flattened, dark-green shapes will change dramatically once the bracts part, releasing the colourful perianths (Manning, 2009; Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; iNaturalist).