Moraea inclinata flower

The iris-like flower of Moraea inclinata has yellow and purple nectar guides on its three bigger outer tepals. In the picture the nectar guide is roundly fringed by a ragged, dark bluish-purple stripe, inside of which some dark speckles occur on a white interior with a yellow transversal band across it in the upper half. These markings vary from plant to plant. Vein lines are more distinct on the outer tepals and accentuated near the basal markings.

The inner tepals are oblong, narrower, also spreading and tapering to rounded, tongue-like tips. They lack the colourful nectar guides. Corolla colour varies from mauve to violet or blue.

The stigma branches are narrow and curved in in claw-like fashion above the corolla centre. Their whitish bases flare petal-like. The flower diameter is up to 4 cm.

The picture was taken in January, the middle of the plant's normal summer flowering season. Plants growing at lower elevations flower earlier (Manning, 2009; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).