Prospero hierapytnense

Prospero hierapytnense arises from a small, ovoid underground bulb 1.5–2 cm long and 0.9–2 cm wide, its flesh pale pink to white and enclosed in a brown papery tunic. From the base emerge branched roots and, in autumn before flowering, six to nine narrow, grass-like leaves up to 10–12 cm long and 1–2 mm wide. When in bloom, one or two leafless flowering stems (scapes) 7–15 cm tall and about 1.2–1.5 mm thick carry between six and fourteen nodding flowers. Each flower has six rosy-pink perianth segments (the combined petals and sepals) measuring 5.5–6.5 mm by 2–2.5 mm. The stamens bear lance-shaped (lanceolate filaments 3–4 mm long, each arising from a white base. The ovoid ovary is violet-tinged, about 2 mm long and 1.6 mm wide, topped by a style 1.5–1.8 mm in length. After fertilisationthe plant produces a spherical seed capsule about 3 mm in diameter that contains black seeds roughly 1.6 mm long and 1.2 mm wide. Chromosome analysis indicates a diploid count of 2n=26.