The genus Moraea can be divided into five groups: Galaxia, Gynandriris, Hexaglottis , Homeria, and Moraea.
Moraea index lists all the species in all five groups alphabetically.
Moraea group species S are found on this wiki page.
The other species in the Moraea group are listed alphabetically on these wiki pages: Moraea group A – Moraea group B – Moraea group C-E – Moraea group F – Moraea group G-I – Moraea group J-M – Moraea group N-R – Moraea group T – Moraea group U-V
Moraea saxicola grows on rocky granite or clay soils in Namaqualand. It has a single leaf and large flowers, usually white, but occasionally pale purplish blue. Inner tepals are large and reflexed like the outer tepals. Photos taken by Alan Horstmann.
Moraea serpentina is a spring flowering species from arid parts of the interior and the northwestern Cape where it grows on dry stony flats and in crevices in granite rock. It has linear leaves that are twisted or coiled and white and yellow short lived flowers. The first photo was taken by Bob Werra and the second by Bob Rutemoeller of one blooming in the wild in the Little Karoo in September 2001 in a year with more rain in that area than usual.
In September 2006 we came across this stunning display of these plants in bloom driving from Nieuwoudtville to Vanrhynsdorp. Since these flowers are not open every day and also not very long during that day they are open, we considered ourselves very fortunate. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner of them in habitat and of one that has a bluish tint. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller of one with a caterpillar and a group of white ones.
Moraea spathulata occurs at the edge of the winter rainfall area near Port Elizabeth all the way up the eastern parts of South Africa and into Mozambique and eastern Zimbabwe. Flowers appear at different times of the year depending on the locality. Plants are usually found in clumps, about 80 cm tall, each with a long persistent leaf and yellow flowers. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken in the Eastern Cape.
This is a rather striking evergreen Moraea, looking at first glance to be an iris. Forms large clumps of rigidly upright stems of flowers, opening over a couple of weeks. Each bulb produces a single new leaf each year, followed by a solitary scape which contains a number of flowers which open in succession at the tip. This pic shows an established clump in full flower in my garden. The first photo and description by Paul Tyerman. Two additional photographs taken by Mary Sue Ittner of plants that were planted and growing well at Kirstenbosch.
Moraea speciosa is found on flats and lower slopes in the Roggeveld. It is blue with a pale cup and yellow nectar guides and flowers in winter. Photos by Alan Horstmann.
Moraea stricta is widespread in Africa. Plants are usually found in grassland, flowering at the end of the dry season before summer rains begin. It flowers without a leaf and has small blue-violet flowers with yellow-orange nectar guides on the outer tepals. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken in the Eastern Cape.
Galaxia – Gynandriris – Hexaglottis – Homeria A-J – Homeria K-Z – Moraea group A – Moraea group B – Moraea group C-E – Moraea group F – Moraea group G-I – Moraea group J-M – Moraea group N-R – Moraea group T – Moraea group U-V – Moraea index
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