Gladiolus brevitubus G.J.Lewis

Plants 120-400 mm high. Corm globose, 8-12 mm diam.; tunics of fine to medium-textured fibres, forming a short collar around base of stem. Stem erect or inclined, ± straight, unbranched. Leaves 3 or 4, lower 1 or 2 basal, lowermost usually somewhat longer than spike, sheath scabridulous, linear, 1.5-3.5 mm wide, main vein and margins lightly thickened, remaining leaves progressively shorter, upper 2 leaves largely to entirely sheathing. Spike inclined, flowers borne on upper side, lightly flexuose, 2-to 8-flowered; bracts green, broadly ovate and obtuse, margins often reddish, outer 10-13 mm long, inner slightly shorter to slightly longer. Flowers nearly actinomorphic, subrotate, orange to salmon or brick-red, lower lateral tepals yellow near base, with a light, sweet scent; perianth tube funnel-shaped, 2.5-4.0 mm long, papillate at throat; tepals subequal, outer whorl slightly larger than inner, ovate, 11-18 x 5.5-10.0 mm. Filaments unilateral, 2-3 mm long, reaching to ± mouth of tube, bases papillate; anthers 4-5 mm long, yellow; pollen yellow. Style straight, 4-5 mm long, dividing opposite base of anthers, branches 3-4 mm long. Capsules obovoid, 3-lobed apically and retuse, 8-11 mm long. Seeds oblong, 4.5-6.0 x 3.5-4.0 mm, broadly and evenly winged.