Biarum davisii Turrill

Tuber globose to rather hemispherical, 1.5–3 × 1 – 2.5 cm. Leaves 5–9, hysteranthous, short petiolate, petiole bases encased by numerous linear-lanceolate cataphylls, these 3–4 cm × 7.5–10 mm; petiole 1.5–5 cm × 1–2 mm, pale to mid-green; leaf lamina ovate to ovate-spathulate, elliptic ovate or elliptic, 1.5–4 × 1–2 cm, apex obtuse to sub-acute, base cuneate, c. 3–5 primary lateral veins per side, margins smooth to somewhat crispulate, lamina mid to dark green, very occasionally spotted silver-grey. Inflorescence appearing in autumn, sweetly perfumed. Peduncle 2–7 cm × 3–5 mm, dirty white, clothed with numerous cataphylls. Spathe 5–6 cm long; spathe limb narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–3 cm × 5–7 mm wide, strongly cucullate, the margins recurved, apex acute, interior and exterior pale greenish white spotted and mottled pale purple; spathe tube ellipsoid, 2–3 cm × 1–2 cm wide, the margins fused for their entire length, interior and exterior pale greenish white ± mottled with pinkish brown, pale purple or purple-brown, the rim of opening stained brown or yellow. Spadix shorter than to sub-equal to the spathe, 3–5 cm long, appendix sessile, slender cylindric to filiform, 3–4 cm × 0.5–2.5, dull reddish brown, dark red to purple-red towards the apex. Staminodes absent. Staminate flowers in a cylindrical zone 8–10 × 2–3 mm, anthers cream. Interstice 5-11 × 0.5-2 mm, cream. Staminodes a few scattered vestigial filaments may be found on the interstice, usually above the pistillate fl owers. Pistillate flowers in a hemispherical cluster 1–2.5 × 2–4 mm; ovaries oblong-ovoid, 1–1.25 × 0.5 mm, pale green, stigma sessile, sub-capitate, 0.25 mm in diam., pale green. Infructescence globose, 2–3 cm in diam., consisting of c. 30 berries; berries 3.5–4 × 3–4 mm, dirty white when ripe; seed ovoid, 3–4 mm in diam., testa slightly reticulate, pale brown. 2n = 26 ( Petersen 1989 ).