Bulbous geophyte up to 8cm. Leaves two, prostrate, broadly elliptical, smooth, hairy or pustulate, leathery; flowers borne at ground level, clustered densely between leaves, tubular, cream to white fading to pink; honey-scented; bracts green, obovate. Pedicels elongating into fruit; fruit 3-winged with rounded seeds.

Greek: ekhinos = hedgehog, sea urchin: referring to the prickly-looking flowerhead.

After: Francis Masson (1741-1805), a Scotsman, gardener, first plant collector for Kew Gardens for which he added 400 new species. His 2 trips to South Africa were from 1772-1775 and from 1786-1795.