Moraea lurida

This one blooms very late in my garden, with the flowers sometimes not opening until early May. Most of the other Moraeas bloom from March to mid-April, so this is quite a contrast.

Online photos show that Moraea lurida grows in the wild in a bewildering variety of colors, including white, maroon, purple, and orange. But the selection usually available in the US is pale yellow with dark mauve markings. I'm trying to find more color forms, but I think most of them are not available in captivity. If you know where to find them, please post a comment!

The shapes and markings of these flowers are very interesting, but I don't appreciate the colors.

The plants appear to appreciate a bit more moisture than some of the other species. I suspect they might be happiest with a bit of summer water, so they never completely dry out.

This species can be crossed with at least some of the "peacock" Moraeas. I'm just getting started with it, but will be very interested to see what it'll do in combination with them.

Here's the plant in bud, with elaborate stripes on the backs of the tepals.