Leaves 10-35 cm long, 5-15 mm wide. Stem cylindrical, unbranched, to 35 cm high. Flowers 4-7, red to pink. Perianth tube 2-3 cm long; segments broadly ovate, spreading at right angles, 10-15 mm long, the ventral ones with a large red-purple spot; late winter. Syn. A. cruenta Lindl.; Lapeirousia laxa (Thunb.) N.E.Br.

Cape to Mozambique.

A. viridis (Aiton) Goldblatt subsp. viridis from the Western Cape has leaves 10-30 cm long. Stem flattened, winged, to 30 cm high, often with one branch. Flowers 3-9, grass green, facing downwards. Perianth tube 2-3 cm long, opening downwards; segments narrow, recurved, 10-15 mm long; late winter. subsp. crispifolia Goldblatt Plant larger with wavy leaf margins and showier flowers; it would make a superior garden subject but appears not to be grown in Australia.

Source: Cooke, D. (2005). Iridaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.