Watsonia Mill.
Rhachis of the inflorescence straight Watsonia
Flowers usually orange to red, 3–4 cm apart. Cormils often in the position of flowers in the lower spathes. Leaves linear, 50–80 cm long and up to 5 cm wide. Spathe bracts triangular to oblong. Perianth tube c. 4 cm long; lobes c. 2 cm long. Style longer than the perianth, branches c. 0.5 cm long. Capsule subglobular. Herb up to 2 m high Garden escape in waste ground near habitation. Introd. from S. Africa. Fl. summer Watsonia meriana
Flowers usually pink to mauve, 2–2.5 cm apart. Cormils absent from cymes. Leaves linear, 20–100 cm long, c. 4 cm wide. Spathes lanceolate to oblong. Perianth tube 3–4 cm long, lobes c. 3 cm long. Style shorter than the perianth, branches c. 0.5 cm long. Capsule ovoid-cylindrical. Herb to 2 m high. Garden Escape. Introd. from S. Africa. Fl. spring Watsonia borbonicaardernei