Common name: African Cornflag
Chasmanthe floribunda (Salisb.) N.E.Br. APNI* 
Description: Herb, 1–1.5 m high; corm to 6 cm diam., tunic of papery netted fibres.
Leaves 80–100 cm long, 2.2–4 cm wide; midvein prominent, asymmetric.
Scape terete, glabrous, few-branched, often purplish, with 1–3 reduced leaves; spikes 15–25 cm long, 20–30-flowered; spathe bracts oblong, 1–1.5 cm long, membranous, red-brown. Perianth orange-red, rarely yellow, faintly striped; tube 3–4.5 cm long, narrow for c. 8 mm at base, distinctly pouched at junction with broader cylindrical upper portion; upper lobe oblanceolate to spathulate, 18–28 mm long; other lobes oblong, decurved, 1–1.7 cm long. Anthers exserted. Style slightly exserted.
Seeds smooth, orange.
Flowering: July–October
Distribution and occurrence: Cultivated, occasionally naturalized in the Sydney region. Native of Cape Province, S. Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *CC
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by T. A. James & E. A. Brown
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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