Forest Busy Lizzy

Very variable perennial herb but often a rather weak and delicate plant, 30-60 cm tall. Leaves spirally arranged, up to 10 × 4 cm, ovate, lanceolate or elliptic, hairles or sparsely pubescent on both surfaces. Flowers in few-flowered axillary clusters, up to c. 20 × 20 mm, pale to deep pink or mauve. Dorsal petal often forming as more or less distinct hood, acutely pointed at the apex; upper lateral petal up to 7 × 3 mm, ovate-triangular with an apical filiform point, often facing forward; lower lateral petal up to 16 × 12 mm usually with a slight emargination on the inner margin; spur on the posterior sepal filiform, 12-24 mm long, incurved. See I. psychadelphoides for comparison.

Common in suitable habitats.

Mozambique and E Zimbabwe