Propeller flower

Cypella drummondii Graham, Edinburgh New Philos. J. 20: 190. 1836; Calydorea punctata (Herbert) Baker; Eustylis punctata (Herbert) Ravenna; E. purpurea (Herbert) Engelmann & A. Gray; Gelasine punctata Herbert; Herbertia drummondii (Graham) Small; Nemastylis punctata (Herbert) Hemsley; N. purpurea Herbert; Tigridia buccifera S. Watson; T. purpurea (Herbert) Shinners

Plants 15–45 cm. Bulbs (5–)8–15 mm diam.; tunic dark brown. Stems simple or 2-branched. Leaves 3–6, basal leaves 2–3; blade narrowly lanceolate, ± equaling or slightly exceeding flowers; distalmost cauline blade reduced, often ± bractlike. Rhipidia 2–4-flowered; outer spathe 24–30 mm, inner spathe (30–)35–42 mm. Tepals dark purple; outer broadly ovate, 20–25 × 17–19 mm; inner marked with yellow shortly distal to claw, lanceolate, 16–20 × 10–12 mm; claw spreading, forming shallow cup, dull cream basally, speckled with reddish brown to black, broad; filaments ca. 2 mm wide basally; anthers 6–8 mm; ovary ovoid, 4–5 mm; style branching opposite middle of anthers; pedicel curved at base of ovary. Capsules 15–30 mm. Seeds ovoid, ca. 2.5 × 2 mm. 2n = 28.

Flowering mostly May--Jul(--Sep). Open woodlands, grassy pastures, often sandy soils; Ark., La., Okla., Tex.; Mexico; South America (Guyana).

The name Alophia drummondii has been misapplied to Herbertia lahue by several authors. The two genera have frequently been confused with one another nomenclaturally (P. Goldblatt 1975). They are quite different in both vegetative and floral details.