Gladiolus arcuatus Klatt

Plants (80-)120-200(-300) mm high. Corm depressed-globose, 12-20 mm diam.; tunics papery to dry-membranous. Stem erect or inclined, flexed outward above sheath of penultimate leaf, flexuose, usually simple or with a short branch. Leaves 5 or 6, lower 4 or 5 basal, reaching ± base of spike, narrowly lanceolate to falcate, 5-10(-12) mm wide, sheaths pubescent to velvety, main vein lightly thickened but not raised, margins and main vein pubescent, uppermost cauline leaf fairly short, diverging sharply from stem. Spike inclined, 4-7(9)-flowered; bracts pale green, outer (20-)25-35 mm long, inner slightly shorter but much narrower, minutely forked. Flowers dull greyish purple, brownish or dark purple, lower 3 tepals yellow in lower 2/3, papillose below and in throat, distal third dark purple fading to light grey-purple toward apices, tepals often partly yellowish on reverse but at least lower 1/2 of dorsal purple, with sweet fruity-herbal scent; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 10-15(-19) mm long; tepals with dorsal largest, arching forward, horizontal in upper 1/2, narrowed and ± claw-like in lower part, 26-32 mm long, claw ± 4.5 mm wide, limb ± 18 x 12-15 mm, upper laterals lanceolate, 25-26 x 10-12 mm, narrow and almost claw-like below, spreading in upper 1/3, windowed between bases of dorsal and upper laterals, lower tepals joined to upper laterals for 3-5 mm and together for 2-3 mm, free parts narrowed below into channelled claws 8-10 mm long, limbs lightly channelled, gently curving downward, ± 12-15 x 8-12 mm. Filaments 14-15 mm long, exserted ± 10 mm from tube; anthers 7-10 mm long, pale grey; pollen cream-coloured. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite upper 1/3 of anthers, branches 3.5-5.0 mm long. Capsules broadly ellipsoid, 18-25 mm long. Seeds 8-9 x 7 mm, obliquely saucer-shaped, usually asymmetric with seed body closer to one side.