Moraea loubseri

Nearly extinct in the wild, this species is known only from a single rock quarry in South Africa. After M. loubseri was discovered, the mining was stopped, but very few of the plants remain. The folks in South Africa seem to be keeping a death watch over the site, checking each year to see if any of the bulbs bloom. In some years they don't, and word goes around that the species may be extinct. Then a couple of plants will be seen in flower.

It's a pretty depressing situation.

Fortunately, M. loubseri is fairly easy to grow in cultivation, and it has been distributed to enthusiasts around the world. It's an interesting flower, with purple tepals and a deep blue nectar guide covered in black hairs. The center of the flower is translucent and colored yellow-green, with more black hairs on it.