Kumara plicatilis flowering in Australia

The fleshy, scarlet flowers of Kumara plicatilis grow in a single, unbranched raceme. They are carried on a long, sturdy, erect peduncle emerging from the centre of the leaf fan. The raceme is cylindrical to conical, tapering to the younger flowers at the top. About 30 flowers may be borne per inflorescence, the raceme up to 25 cm long; double that when the peduncle is included.

An open perianth or flower becomes about 5 cm long. Some yellowish colouring is often present at the mouths of the open perianths. Flowering commences late in winter and continues beyond mid-spring.

This ambitious young plant was photographed in Melbourne, Australia (Reynolds, 1974; Van Wyk and Smith, 2003; Jeppe, 1969).