Greek melas – black, sphaerula – small ball, referring to the small black bulbs.

Perennial herbs, dormant in summer. Corms with hard black tunic. Leaves hairless with midvein. Spathe green, very short. Perianth tube short; segments equal in length, the inner much broader than outer. Ovary sharply 3 angled.

1 species in S Africa.

Offsets or seed.

Straggling branched stems; pale bell-shaped flowers.

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.