The genus Moraea can be divided into five groups: Galaxia, Gynandriris, Hexaglottis, Homeria, and Moraea.
Moraea group species G-I are found on this wiki page.
Moraea index lists all the species in all five groups alphabetically.
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 J-M – Moraea group N-R – Moraea group S – Moraea group T – Moraea group U-V
Moraea gawleri is widespread in the Cape province and is found growing on sandy or clay slopes, usually in Renosterveld. It has linear channeled leaves and yellow, cream, or brick red small short lived flowers that appear in late winter-spring. These photos by Bob Rutemoeller were taken in September 2003 in South Africa. The first was taken in the Little Karoo and the second in Bontebok Park and gives you an idea of the size of the flowers. The last photo is of a plant in cultivation taken by Bob Werra.
The first of three photos below taken September 2006 by Mary Sue Ittner was taken near Nieuwoudtville and the second and third near Clanwlliam where they were growing along a moist bank next to the road. The last photograph from Bob Rutemoeller was taken at that same spot.
A very desirable color is the brick red form found in the West Coast near Darling. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner from September 2006.
Moraea gigandra is a strikingly beautiful Moraea that is endangered in the wild, surviving only on a few isolated sites on steep stony slopes in heavy clay soil in the northwestern Cape. It has been easy to grow in Northern California in a raised bed, dry in summer. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner , Bob Rutemoeller, and Alan Horstmann.
Moraea graminicola grows in open grassland in the Eastern Cape. It has a solitary leaf and yellow gray flowers. There are two subspecies. Moraea graminicola ssp. graminicola is found in Kwa Zulu-Natal. It has no blotches on the crests.
Moraea graminicola ssp. notata is a more southern subspecies found in the Amatola Mountains. It has dark blotches at the base of the crests. A dark mauve band from which mauve veins radiate out surrounds the deep yellow nectar guides. Photos by Cameron McMaster
Moraea herrei, syn. Barnardiella spiralis was once considered the lone species of Barnardiella. It is now included in the Moraea subgroup. It has purple spreading flowers with rounded tips. It flowers in spring and is found in Namaqualand. Photo taken by Rod Saunders.
Moraea hiemalis I was delighted to come across a small colony of this rare plant flowering in the depths of winter beside a pine plantation in the Drakensberg in Kwa Zulu-Natal. The rich golden colour of the flowers is very striking set against the drab wintery landscape. Sadly this site has now been destroyed by logging! Photos by Rogan Roth.
Moraea huttonii is a summer rainfall species that blooms in early spring where it grows in prolific clumps on the banks of mountain streams. It occurs from the Amatola Mountains in the south, along the Drakensberg Mountains in Kwa Zulu-Nataland into southern Mpumalanga. It has a branched stem which sets it apart from the other yellow summer rainfall species. It is large with a flowering stem about 80 cm tall and a leaf that can reach 150 cm long. Scented flowers are a clear bright yellow with yellow-brown nectar guides and darker veins on the outer tepals. The first photo was taken by Cameron McMaster and the second from Mary Sue Ittner was taken in the Eastern Cape in September where it was growing so close to the river that the soil most surely remained moist year round which no doubt explained why it was doing well since it was late winter and very dry in that area during that time of the year. The last two photos were taken by Paul Tyerman. He writes: "This very iris-like Moraea is evergreen for me. Flowers are held on rigidly upright stems and make an interesting display in late October."
Moraea inclinata grows in damp grassland in the Natal Midlands and the Drakensberg mountains in Kwa Zulu-Natal and in the northeastern Transkei. It has a long slender stem with a single leaf inserted well above the ground near the stem apex. The large blue-violet flowers with yellow nectar guides have reflexed limbs. It flowers in summer with plants on lower elevations flowering earlier. Photo by Audrey Cain.
Moraea inconspicua is widespread in the Cape and found on sandy and clay slopes flowering in spring. It has two or three linear leaves and tiny yellow to brown or cream flowers with reflexed outer tepals. Photographs taken by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner in Namaqualand September 2006 and by Cameron McMaster near Napier in the Overberg.
Galaxia – Gynandriris – Hexaglottis – Homeria A-J – Homeria K-Z – Moraea group A – Moraea group B – Moraea group C-E – Moraea group F – Moraea group J-M – Moraea group N-R – Moraea group S – Moraea group T – Moraea group U-V – Moraea index
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