Citation: Ker Gawler, Ann. Bot. (Koenig & Sims) 1:225 (1804).

Synonymy: Ixia tricolor Schneev., Icon. Pl. Rar. t. 39 (1795).

Common name: Tricolor harlequin flower, Jack Spratts.

Description:
Perennial to 30 cm high producing a few bulbils in the lower leaf axils; corms to 2 cm diam.; leaves 5-10, erect, linear to lanceolate, acute, 8-20 cm long, to 1.5 cm wide, rather soft-textured, pale-green, with a prominent mid-vein.

Scape unbranched, partly sheathed by the leaves; spike flexuose, 2-5-flowered; spathes ovate, acute, shallowly lacerate, 2.3-2.8 cm long, the inner one usually 2-fid; perianth tube c. 8 mm long, bright-yellow; lobes oblanceolate, subacute, 2.5-3 cm long, c. 1 cm wide, deep-red to orange with a black sagittate mark at the base; stamens equilateral; filaments 6-7 mm long; anthers linear, c. 8 mm long, yellow; style erect, not exceeding the anthers, with cuneate branches 1-2 mm long.

Capsules c. 1 cm long; seeds c. 2 mm diam., black.

Distribution:  Occasional on roadsides, vacant land and disturbed bushland. S.Aust.: NL, MU, SL, SE.   W.Aust.; Vic.   Native to South Africa. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: Aug. — Oct.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: Hybrid Sparaxis with a wide range of flower colours, often blotched in red, orange or pink, occur as garden escapes in the Adelaide Hills. These hybrids are probably derived from S. tricolor and agree loosely with the above description.

Author: Not yet available