Hesperantha
(from hesperos, the evening, and anthos, a flower). Evening Flower. ORD. Irideae. A genus of about twenty species of rather pretty dwarf green-house bulbous plants, natives of tropical and Southern Africa. Flowers very sweetly scented, opening in the evening (whence the common name), in loose spikes; perianth salver-shaped; limb equalling the slender tube; segments equal, spreading. Leaves sword-shaped, curled. For culture, see Ixia (to which this genus is allied).
H. angusta (narrow). fl. uniform white. Spring. l. narrower than those of H. falcata.
H. cinnamomea (Cinnamon-scented). fl. whitish. April and May. l., radical ones falcate, curled. h. 6in. 1787. (B. M. 1054.) H. falcata (sickle-shaped). fl., outer perianth segments shining brown outside; inner segments and inside of outer ones. pure white. April. l. 3in. to 12in. long, striated, somewhat sickle-shaped. h. 6in. to 12in. (B. M. 566, under name of Ixia falcata.) H. graminifolia (grass-leaved). fl. greenish-white. August and September. l. linear. Stem smooth. h. 6in. 1808. (B. M. 1254 under name of H. pilosa nuda.) H. pilosa (pilose). fl. whitish; inner segments pure white; outer white within, specked with red outside. April and May. l. linear, hairy. Stem smooth. h. 6in. 1811. (B. M. 1475.) H. radiata (rayed).* fl. white within, nodding; outer segments striped with reddish-brown. April to June. l. fistulous. h. 6in. 1794. (B. M. 573, under name of Ixia radiata.)