Given that the last guess what at the time of writing was Daubenya perhaps we can start here and see what gets typed.
These will stand temperatures down to 8 -10 C and the occasional chill overnight, if planted or potted in the right place.
If you can grow Massonias, then you can grow these.
Daubenya is a monotypic group with two varieties. One yellow, the other as you saw, red.
This winter flowering, winter growing bulb likes good sandy growing mediums. It makes a splendid container specimen.
Once you plant the bulb, make sure it is in a sunny position, with good drainage and air flow, and leave it undisturbed, for it resents movement of busy fingers.
Over summer it likes to be kept dryish, the purists say completely dry, but I don't bother. If it rains here over summer, and this applied in Tasmania too, if it rained on them - so be it.
Seeds of this are planted in the Fall. The bulbs are very slow to multiply, so fresh sowings of seed is the quickest method of increasing your numbers.
Rachel at Silverhill seeds has these. Watch out for snails and earwigs which cause damage to the leaves, which in turn affects flowering. From seed you have flowering plants in only three years.
If living in a really hot climate, please make sure the bulbs are afforded some protection from baking heat. The yellow form is called Daubenya aurea var. aurea. The red form is called Daubenya aurea v. coccinea
For foliage plants these and Massonias are good, their flowers aren't half bad, either.
Before we get onto Massonias, could we also look at the closely related Neobakeria.? These way back when , used to be lumped in with Massonias.
This is another group of plants for the container, winter growing and flowering. The erect flower spikes nestle out of the two leafed bract, which does not lie on the ground. The leafs in cultivation tend to grow in an upright position, protecting the mini paintbrush flowers. The flowers come in a range of colours, from white, pink and into orange. After flowering you harvest the seeds when black from the fruits. The fruits are a capsule of round black seed. These are sown in Fall and will flower for you at the beginning of the third season.
Treat the same as for Daubenya. Remember, this is only coming from a keen grower, not a botanist. In colder climates, below zone 8, inside treatment will be required.
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