Stem curved, 7-20 cm tall. Leaves 6-8, lance-shaped, acute, to 13 cm long. Flowers 4-10 in a dense 2-sided spike, fragrant; spring. Spathe oblong 12-25 mm, green, hairy. Perianth tube 18-25 mm, straight; segments equal, 15-25 mm long, violet to pale blue, the lower lateral segments with a yellow patch marked by 2 purple dots; top segment slightly longer than others. Syn. B. plicata Ker Gawl.
Cape Province.
B. odorata L. Bolus from Cape Province has a bent stem to 20 cm tall. Leaves 5-7, narrow-elliptic, acute, to 13 mm wide. Flowers 6-12 in a dense 2-sided spike, 2-lipped, fragrant; early winter. Spathe ovate, acute, 18 mm long, green with brown tip. Perianth tube about 18 mm long; segments yellow shading to cream at edge, flushed blue on reverse; top segment erect, 25 mm long, others shorter, spreading.
Source: (2005). Iridaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
