Streptanthera
(from streptos, twisted, and anthera, an anther; alluding to the shape of the anthers). ORD. Irideae. A small genus (only a couple of species) of dwarf, bulbous, greenhouse plants, natives of South Africa. Flower solitary in the spathe, sessile; perianth with a very short, campanulate tube, and a rotate-spreading limb; stamens affixed to the throat; spathes one, two, or three, sessile at the sides of the peduncles; peduncles two or three in the upper axils. Leaves ensiform-lanceolate, erect or falcately spreading. The species are very pretty when in flower. A sandy loam suits them best. Increased by offsets.
S. cuprea (coppery). fl., perianth tube purple; segments of a yellowish-copper colour, purple at base and with a pale yellow spot on each side; spathe two-valved, jagged a little at the point; scape smooth, somewhat flexuous, two to four-flowered. June. l. distichous, acute, mucronate; lower ones smallest. Stem about 9in. high, producing two or three scapes. 1825. (P. M. B. i. 8; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 122.) S. elegans (elegant).* fl., perianth pure white, slightly tinged with blush, with a bright purple centre, above which is a broken, black, velvety circle, marked with large, bright yellow spots; tube purple, shorter than the spathe, which is streaked with irregular, broken lines; scapes two or three, one or two-flowered. Spring. l. distichous, bluntish, with a very short mucro, narrowing as if cut a little above the middle. Stem about 9in. high. 1827. (L. B. C. 1359; S. B. F. G. 209.