K. linearifolia, K. rooperi and K. uvaria are closely related and intermediate specimens occur where their distribution areas overlap. The distinguishing characters are discussed under K. uvaria. There are also intermediate specimens linking K. linearifolia and K. tysonii, but the latter can usually be separated by the more elongate racemes with shorter flowers and well-exserted stamens.
Rhizome horizontal with closely-spaced erect corm-like branches, the latter usually clothed in fibrous remnants of old leaves; roots fibrous or slightly swollen.
Peduncle up to 140 cm long, sometimes with 1–2 sterile bracts below the raceme.
Leaves 24–160 cm long, 0.8–2.5 cm wide, linear, acuminate, with margins entire or occasionally sparingly serrulate, very strongly keeled, erect at first, usually becoming bent over.
Flowers patent, finally pendulous,yellow or lemon-yellow; buds red to orange.
Raceme 5–12 cm long, ovoid or oblong, very dense; bracts 5–10 mm long, ovate-oblong, rounded to subacute, sometimes serrulate; pedicels 2–5 mm long.
Seeds angled, scarcely winged, c. 3 mm long.
Plants clump-forming, fairly robust, up to 1.5 m tall.
Perianth 25–40 mm long, cylindrical, not constricted above the ovary, straight.
Stamens just exserted at anthesis, later withdrawn.
Plants several- to many-stemmed. Leaves at first erect, later folding back ('kneed') with maturity, 0.6-1.4 m long, 12-28 mm broad, strongly keeled, fairly rigid to flaccid in texture, yellow-green to dull green, rarely subglaucous; margin serrulate to sparsely toothed or occasionally smooth. Scape overtopping reflexed leaves, 0.8-1.5 m tall. Raceme ovoid or oblong to rhomboid, dense, 60-160 x 55-65 mm, usually tapering towards apex; buds pinkish red to green, tinged with dull red; flowers pendulous, yellow-orange to yellow-green or greenish. Bracts broadly ovate to ovate-oblong, 4-10 mm long, rounded to obtuse or sometimes subacute; margin usually finely serrulate. Pedicels very short, 1.0-1.5 mm long. Perianth subcylindrical, 25-35 mm long; lobes broadly ovate, 2-3 mm long, sometimes spreading. Stamens exserted by 4-5 mm at anthesis, later almost or completely withdrawn. Fruit ovoid-triquetrous, about 8 mm long. Flowering time: January to March but in Mpumalanga (e.g. Mariepskop) flowering may extend to April.
Perennial herb. Inflorescence large, oblong to rhomboid. Peduncle up to 1.5 m high. Buds pinkish red to green tinged with dull red. Perianth exceeding 28 mm in length (rarely less). Stamens scarcely exserted. Flowers yellow to yellowish green or green.
Perennial herb; acaulescent, occasionally shortly caulescent. Stems several to many, short. Leaves first erect, later recurved, rigid to flaccid, 0.6-1.4 m x 12-28 mm, strongly keeled; margins and keel serrulate to sparsely toothed, occasionally smooth. Flowers: inflorescence overtopping reflexed leaves, 0.8-1.5 m high, with ovoid or oblong to rhomboid, dense racemes; perianth pinkish red to green, tinged with dull red and erect to spreading in bud, yellow-orange to yellow-green or greenish and pendulous when mature, 25-35 mm long; Jan.-Apr.
Found on streambanks, in marshy places and in mountain grassland.
Mountain grassland, marshy places, stream-banks.
Mesic Grassland; Zastron Moist Grassland. Streambanks, marshy places and mountain grassland.
In the eastern parts of Western Cape with an outlier near Worcester, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape [Transkei], eastern Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, the mountainous parts of Swaziland and Mpumalanga, extending into Zimbabwe.
