Several Moraea polyanthos flowers may be present concurrently on the slender, erect or curved branches. The narrow leaves curve even more than the stems, not reaching flower height. The specific name, polyanthos, is derived from the Greek prefix poly- meaning many and the Greek word anthos for flower, referring to the plant commonly producing many flowers.
This tough species often grows in patches where the soil has been disturbed, coping in the hard clay of dry seasons (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Moriarty, 1997; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).