What on earth is this plant found in Portugal?

[JohnnyD]

Growing from flattish corms and around 25cm tall around a disused farmhouse.
I hope someone recognises it - we certainly did not.

[Miriam]

Looks like Ferraria crispa from South Africa.

[JohnnyD]

Thanks Miriam - I think that is spot on.

[Lesley Cox]

At first sight, incredibly like a tarantula!

[WimB]

I had never heard of that plant-family before. It's a very nice flower.

[Joakim B]

Very nice! Never seen it in Portugal but there are alot of plants that come from South Africa in Portugal. Often they come via Madeira so every one assumes they are from Madeira. The agapanthus is a typical example.

Nice finding Johnny! 
Joakim

[Michael]

Very nice! Never seen it in Portugal but there are alot of plants that come from South Africa in Portugal. Often they come via Madeira so every one assumes they are from Madeira. The agapanthus is a typical example.

Nice finding Johnny! 
Joakim

Joakin, i think you guessed it right! I have no idea if it came from MAdeira or not, but Ferraria crispa is naturalized, and is growing wild here in a few places!

[Anthony Darby]

Growing from flattish corms and around 25cm tall around a disused farmhouse.
I hope someone recognises it - we certainly did not.

Yeh, I recognise it. Don't remember leaving it there though? Seriously, definitley worth a place in the greenhouse.

[arillady]

Johnny I too found my first corms of this bulb on an old roadside when I believe they might have been dumped from what was once an old farmhouse garden. I had to ask some plant experts what they were. I read recently on this forum a reply from a member who grows a number of different Ferraria. I have a planted corms in the garden in several sites and they flower each year.