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 N-R 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 S - Moraea group T - Moraea group U-V
Moraea natalensis grows in seasonally wet exposed areas from KwaZulu-Natal to tropical Africa. The lilac to blue violet flowers with yellow nectar guide edged with a mauve outline bloom in summer. Flowers open late morning. Photo by Audrey Cain.
Moraea neglecta is found growing in deep sandy soils in the northwest and southwest Cape and the Aguulhas coast blooming in spring. It has large yellow flowers with penciling on the nectar guide and opens at mid day. The first picture was taken by Bob Rutemoeller in the Bontebok Park in September 2003 where it was blooming close to the road. The other pictures were taken by Cameron McMaster in the Overberg, at Boskloof, Fairfield, and Napier. The last pictures show the seed capsules.
Moraea neopavonia, is now considered to be Moraea tulbaghensis by Manning and Goldblatt even though there is a physical difference between it and the forms formerly grown as Moraea tulbaghensis so some people still retain the old name for their plants. It is from the northwest and southwest Cape where it grows in clay flats in renosterveld. This form has larger flowers that open more fully. Spring flowering, this is an endangered species in the wild. The first picture of one grown in her Canberra garden was taken by Lyn Edwards. The next were taken by Alan Horstmann.
Photos below from Bob Werra.
Moraea papilionacea grows on mostly sandstone soils, sometimes granite or clay, in renosterveld and transitional fynbos in the south and southwest Cape. It flowers late winter to spring and is usually hairy with yellow or salmon flowers with yellow nectar guides. Flowers are fugacious. These pictures were taken near Paarl by Bob Rutemoeller September 2003 where there were many different color forms growing in the same location, salmon, yellow, and bicolored.
Photo taken of a yellow one at Drayton by Cameron McMaster and photos taken September 2003 near Brackenfell by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.
More photos by Bob Werra
Moraea polyanthos is found growing on flats and lower slopes, mainly clay, in areas with year round rainfall, winter rainfall, and summer rainfall and blooms different times depending on its habitat. Flowers open midday and close in the late afternoon. This is one of the latest to bloom of the winter rainfall species I grow, sometimes not blooming until summer. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner and Alan Horstmann.
Moraea polystachya is a vigorous species from the winter and summer rainfall areas of southern Africa. It is beloved by many members of the PBS mailing list who live in Mediterranean climates, because when happy it produces large numbers of short-lived flowers over a long period from fall to early winter, a time when most other Moraeas are barely putting up leaves. Unfortunately it's not as successful in very cold climates or those with year-round rain. If you're growing this species in captivity, keep it dry at the start of summer but start watering it in mid-summer (early August in California) to get the longest bloom period. This species is reportedly poisonous to livestock, so be careful not to let it escape into the wild (more information here). The first photo was taken by Sheila Burrow, the second by Bill Dijk, the third by Bob Rutemoeller, and the fourth taken in habitat in the Eastern Cape by Cameron McMaster. The fifth and sixth were taken by Michael Mace. The fifth shows subtle variations in flower shape and nectar guide color.
Moraea ramosissima grows on damp sandy or stony flats and slopes from the Gifberg to the Eastern Cape. It is a tall plant with yellow flowers that blooms spring into summer. Deemed a shy bloomer, it appeas to be a plant that responds to fire. The first photo below by Mary Sue Ittner shows leaves appearing after a fire near Bainskloof where there were no signs of this plant in previous years. The second photo by Cameron McMaster taken near Napier in the Overberg shows the flower.
Moraea reticulata has a solitary habit (not clumping like some of the other yellow summer rainfall species.) It has a fibrous network like a fishnet enclosing the base of the stem and bracts. The flowers are bright yellow with orange nectar guides and a few darker veins on the outer tepals. Described first in 1973, it is an Eastern Cape species where it occurs on steep grassy slopes. Photos by Cameron McMaster showing a habitat shot and a close-up of the flower.
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 S - Moraea group T - Moraea group U-V - Moraea index