Marlothistella

Low succulent perennials, +/- stemless or with short branches +/- hidden by leaf bases, with tufts of long leaves arising from a large caudex. Leaves decussate, long, awl-shaped, smooth, dotted, easily desiccating. Flowers large, showy, single, sessile, with two small bracteoles strongly keeled on back. Sepals 5, of nearly equal length, inner ones bordered with a broad membrane, outer ones not so, all segments becoming +/- dry. Petals lanceolate, purple with a line of darker purple running down the centre; opening in morning, closing at night. Stamens with thick, round, basally long-papillate filaments; staminodes basally shortly papillate. Nectary a very high, deeply crenate, dark green ring. Ovary with 5 (rarely 6) very high, grooved protuberances; placentas parietal; stigmas 5, greenish yellow, broadly awl-shaped, externally smooth, internally long-haired. Fruit a 5-locular capsule; covering membranes stiff, translucent; expanding keels widely divergent, reddish; closing bodies very large, whitish; valve wings 0. Seeds large, round, papillately sculptured. Flowering winter. D istinguishing characters: tufted perennials with tuberous roots; flowers solitary, large, with purple, striped petals; fruit 5-locular with large, white closing bodies.