Alophia drummondii, a deep South Irid

Southern Mississippi. Common names for it include Purple pleat-leaf and pine or pinewood lily. The plants grow from a small, shallow bulb and form loose colonies in sandy soils in lightly wooded areas. The leaves are mostly basal and are pleated. They are winter dormant and flower from May unto fall. The flowers resemble Tigridia, with a cupped center, rounded outer segments and narrow inner segments. The margins of the inner segments curl tightly inward. Both inner and outer segments are velvety purple to red-purple at the margins and yellowish, spotted red-brown in the center. Unlike Tigridia, the flowers are secund (face the side). Several flowers are formed at the terminal, opening in succession and lasting only a day. In East Texas (according to Ajilvsgi), A. drummondii is found predominantly in a plant association called the 'long leaf/blue stem uplands' which are open park-like areas. These are scatted slopes, hills, ridge tops and low mounds dominated by long leaf pine (Pinus palustris) and sometime