Babiana curviscapa

Babiana curviscapa is a cormous perennial, a deciduous dwarf plant growing short, horizontal stems and reaching 10 cm in height. The stiffly pleated, sword-shaped leaves are hairy.

The long-tubed (4 cm) bluish purple or magenta flowers have hairless ovaries. Flowering happens late in winter and early in spring.

The species grows in Namaqualand in the Northern Cape from Steinkopf to Bitterfontein.

The habitat is arid, winter rainfall sandy and gravelly flats in open scrub. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2009; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).