Basal leaves 2, 7-18 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, channelled, hairless. Stem leaves 1-2. Flowers 3-4.5 cm wide, star-shaped; winter. Perianth tube 4-8 mm long, yellow-orange; segments lance-shaped, acute, pale pink to bright violet with darker veins on back. Anthers yellow, longer than style. Syn. R. clusiana (Lange) Nyman.

Mediterranean from NW Spain to Palestine.

R. tabularis Bég. from Cape Province has 1-2 basal leaves, 10-60 cm long, 1-2 mm wide, thread-like. Flowers lilac with gold centre, 20-25 mm wide, star-shaped, on stalks 3-8 cm long; early spring. Perianth tube 3-5 mm long, golden; segments narrow-elliptic, acute, 10-28 mm long, the outer three with brown blotches on reverse. Anthers yellow, longer than style. Syn. R. duthiae L. Bolus.

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.