Albuca suaveolens flower

The flowers of Albuca suaveolens grow in a stiffly erect raceme, the flowers spreading or pendent. Narrow, tapering, papery bracts subtend each flower pedicel.

The flower is yellow, all six tepals spreading, reaching a diameter of up to 2 cm. Broad green longitudinal bands are present inside each tepal, separated in the photo by thin yellow lines. Dark green keels match these lines on the outside of the tepals.

The style is longer than the stamens, laden with yellow pollen around it, the stigma finely hairy. The specific name, suaveolens (Latin), means sweet-smelling or fragrant.

Flowering happens in spring (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).