Stem to 1 m tall, smooth, often branched. Leaves ribbed, hairless, to 90 cm long, 3-7 cm wide. Flower spike 5-7.5 cm long, one-sided, horizontal or bent downwards. Flowers facing upward, 4-5 cm long, scarlet-orange to orange yellow; summer. Stamens much longer than lobes.

Southern Africa, Transkei.

C. paniculata (Klatt) Goldblatt from Lesotho, Natal, Swaziland and Transvaal has a stem to 1.3 m tall, smooth. 5-7.5 cm long with spreading branches. Leaves ribbed, finely hairy, to 85 cm long, 3-6 cm wide. Flower spike 2 sided, zigzag. Flowers facing to each side, 4.5-6 cm long, orange; late summer. Perianth tube more than twice as long as lobes. Syn. Curtonus paniculatus (Klatt) N.E Br.

'Beth Chatto's Form'  and 'James Hitchmough's Form' are selections of this species.

Some other hybrids include: 'Bressingham Blaze' Flowers red, plant to 1 m tall, hybrid of C. masonorum, 'Jackanapes' and C. paniculata; 'Citronella' Plant to 1.2 m tall, branched, with small, golden yellow flowers; 'Lucifer' Plant to 1.2 m tall, flowers bright red, hybrid of C. masonorum, C. paniculata and 'Jackanapes'.

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.