Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. regalis

Lapeirousia pyramidalis subsp. regalis has unusual flower colours: purple upper tepals with bright magenta and white markings on the three lower ones. The corolla tube is long and cylindrical.

The leaves of L. pyramidalis are longitudinally ribbed. The derivation of the name is from the pyramid shape formed by the bracts subtending the flowers in the spike, the inflorescence.  

The subspecies distribution is restricted to a part of the northeast of the Western Cape, around Clanwilliam and eastwards from there.

The habitat is shale and sandstone soils in dry fynbos and renosterveld. The plant is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (www.pacificbulbsociety.org; http://redlist.sanbi.org).