Romulea multifida M.P. de Vos

Manning, John C. & Goldblatt, Peter, 2001, the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra including new species, biological notes, and a new infrageneric classification, Adansonia (3) 23 (1), pp. 59-108 : 101-102

64. Romulea multifida M.P. de Vos

Ann. Univ. Stellenbosch, 28 A , 3: 71 (1952); J. S. African Bot., Suppl. 9: 221 (1972) ; Fl. S. Africa 7(2), fasc. 2: 58 (1983). — Type: Joubert s. n., South Africa, Northern Cape, plateau west of Sutherland (holo-, NBG 27158!) .

Plants 10-20 cm high, stem subterranean; corm rounded at base with curved acuminate teeth. Leaves 2-3, basal, narrowly 4-grooved, 0.5- 1 mm diam.; outer bracts submembranous with wide brownish membranous margins and apices, inner bracts with wide membranous margins brownish above. Flowers magenta with a narrow blue band and dark blotches around the yellow cup, tepals obovate-cuneate, 14-20 mm long; fila- ments 5-6 mm long, anthers 3-5 mm long. Fruiting peduncles recurved and later coiled. Flowering: Aug.

This species is poorly collected and is known from three gatherings on the Roggeveld Escarpment south of Sutherland. It grows on damp clay flats. Although closely allied to Romulea komsbergensis in particular, R. multifida is immediately distinguished by the twice-divided style branches and the yellow floral cup without a brown base. The stamens are also somewhat distinctive as the filaments diverge from the base and the anthers are tightly coiled inward. Populations are evidently sympatric with R. komsbergensis .