Iridaceae

Moraea miniata

Common Names: Two-leaf Cape tulip

Plant Form: Upright perennial herb. Size: Up to 60 cm tall. Stem: Green, upright, sometimes zig-zagging from nodes, with a few branches near top. Leaves: 2 large, strap like leaves 20-100 cm long, hairless, slightly ribbed, folded when young, with small bulb-like structures in leaf forks. Flowers: Salmon pink or orange with 6 broad petals and yellow centre, 3-5 cm diameter. Fruit and Seeds: Small green elongated capsule that browns as matures, does not produce viable seed. Habitat: Coastal heathland, woodland, grassland, forest, parks, roadsides, waste areas. Distinguishing Features: Small bulbs in leaf forks, and producing 2 rather than 1 leaf in One-leaf cape tulip (Moraea flaccida). Impacts: Toxic to stock, replaces pasture grasses, replaces and outcompetes native vegetation.