Romulea minutiflora Klatt

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 : 85

29. Romulea minutiflora Klatt

Abh. Naturf. Ges. Halle 15: 339 (1882); M. P. de Vos, J. S. African Bot., Suppl. 9: 146 (1972); Fl. S. Africa 7(2), fasc. 2: 34 (1983). — Type: Drège 538, South Africa, Western Cape, Worcester, Hex River Mts. (lecto-, S, designated by M. P. DE VOS, 1972) .

Plants 6-20 cm high, stem subterranean; corm obliquely flattened with a spathulate basal ridge. Leaves several, basal, narrowly 4-grooved, 0.5- 1.5 mm diam.; outer bracts with narrow, often brown-speckled membranous margins, inner bracts membranous or submembranous with brown-spotted margins. Flowers pale mauve with yellowish cup, tepals elliptic, 4-9 mm long; filaments 2-4 mm long, anthers 1.5-2 mm long. Fruiting peduncles curved, later erect. Flowering: July-Sep.

This diminutive-flowered species is widespread in the South African winter-rainfall region, extending from the Bokkeveld Mountains in the west to Grahamstown in the east. It is closely allied to R. sinispinosensis and the two share corms with a promiment, rather spade-shaped basal ridge which is about as high on the corm. Romulea minutiflora is distinguished by its very small, pale mauve or pink flowers with tepals up to 9 mm long whereas those of R. sinispinosensis are white and the tepals 10-12 mm long. The inner bracts of R. minutiflora are also distinctive in having membranous margins with fairly large brown blotches rather than flecks.