Gladiolus acuminatus F.Bolus

Plants 250-500 mm high. Corm globose, 12-15 mm diam., often with short stolons 10-20 mm long; tunics papery, becoming finely fibrous. Stem erect below, flexed outward above sheaths of cauline leaves and inclined above, simple or occasionally branched. Leaves 5 or 6, or more when branched, lower 3 or 4 basal, reaching middle of stem or higher, linear, 0.8-1.5 mm wide, main vein somewhat thickened, tapering toward margins, cauline leaves usually channelled throughout, sheaths of all leaves open. Spike inclined or erect, ± straight, 3-to 10-flowered; bracts pale green, outer (13-)14-25(-35) mm long, acute to attenuate, inner shorter, entire or notched apically. Flowers cream-coloured to pale yellow or pale greenish, tepals often flushed brown to dull purple on reverse, especially outer, lightly sweet-scented; perianth tube 16-22(-30) mm long, cylindric, upper half curving outward and slightly wider; tepals lanceolate-acuminate, margins undulate, recurved distally, apices lightly twisted, dorsal slightly larger, 15-21 x 8-10 mm, remaining tepals 12-18 x 6-8 mm. Filaments 6-10 mm long, reaching to top of tube or exserted up to 2 mm; anthers 4-6 mm long, included in flower, white; pollen white. Style arched over stamens, dividing near anther apices, branches ± 3.5 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid, acute, 10-15 mm long. Seeds round to ovate, 3-4 mm diam.