Hawekwas Squill

Spetaea lachenaliiflora grows from underground bulbs which have a leathery dark brown outer tunic. The linear leaves are produced at the same time as the flowers; they are smooth, green and fleshy. The flowers are borne on an upright stem (peduncle) in a many-flowered raceme which forms a narrow cylindrical shape. Individual flowers have six bright blue tepals which are joined at the base for about two thirds of their length producing a narrow bell shape. The tepals persist into the fruiting stage. The stamens have filaments joined to each other at the base and to the base of the tepals. The ovoid seeds are black. They have a prominent whitish hilum which distinguishes the species from related genera. Spetaea lachenaliiflora is found only in the west of Cape Province, South Africa, where it is found in moist areas and along streams in the Bains Kloof and Du Toits Kloof Mountains.