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{{Taxobox
| name = ''Sparaxis''
| image = Sparaxis-IMG 8734.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Wandflower, ''[[Sparaxis tricolor]]''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[monocotyledon|Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Asparagales]]
| familia = [[Iridaceae]]
| genus = '''''Sparaxis'''''
| genus_authority = [[John Bellenden Ker Gawler|Ker Gawl.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
See text.
}}

[[Image:Sparaxis-IMG 8733.jpg|thumb|300px|Sparaxis plants]]
[[Image:Sparaxis-IMG 8847.jpg|thumb|300px|Sparaxis plants]]

'''''Sparaxis''''' (Harlequin Flower) is a genus in the family [[Iridaceae]] with about 13 species endemic to [[Cape Province]], [[South Africa]].

All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flower in spring and survive underground as dormant [[corm]]s over summer. Their conspicuous flowers have six [[tepal]]s, which in most species are equal in size and shape.

''[[Sparaxis bulbifera]]'' is the commonest in cultivation, with flowers from cream to yellow or purple. ''S. grandiflora'' is a similar but larger plant. ''[[Sparaxis tricolor]]'' has bright red flowers with yellow and black centres. Many named hybrid [[cultivar]]s were bred from ''S. bulbifera'' and ''S. tricolor''.

A group of species with asymmetrical flowers marked in mauve and yellow, including ''[[Sparaxis variegata]]'' and ''[[Sparaxis villosa]]'', was formerly treated as the genus ''Synnotia''.


== References ==

Goldblatt, P. (1999) ''Sparaxis''. Flora of Southern Africa 7: 151-169.

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