Gladiolus caeruleus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Plants 400-600 mm high. Corm 10-14 mm diam.; tunics hard and woody, splitting from below into claw-like segments. Stem erect or inclined below, upper portion inclined at ± 20°, flexed outward above sheaths of upper 2 leaves, unbranched. Leaves 4, lowermost basal and sheathing lower part of stem, sheath often scabrid below, reaching to between base and apex of spike, linear, 3-7 mm wide, margins raised at right angles to surface, thus H-shaped in section, edges smooth, main vein lightly raised, cauline leaves progressively shorter above and sheathing for at least 1/2 their length, sheaths closed. Spike (4)8-to 10(14)-flowered, flexed at base, weakly flexuose; bracts greyish green to dull purple-grey, with narrowly membranous margins, 25-35(-40) mm long, inner shorter, margins broadly membranous, barely notched at apex. Flowers pale blue, abaxial side of throat and lower 2/3 of lower tepals irregularly speckled with dark purple on a cream-coloured background, lightly scented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, ± 15 mm long; tepals obovate and obtuse, dorsal largest, 30-32 x ± 20 mm, curving outward distally, upper laterals spreading distally, ± 25 x 17 mm, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for ± 6 mm and together for a further 2-3 mm, tapering toward bases, subequal, ± 20 x 8-10 mm, obtuse, arching gently outward. Filaments ± 12 mm long, exserted ± 6 mm from tube; anthers 9-10 mm long, pale blue; pollen cream-coloured or pale blue. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite or shortly beyond anther apices, branches ± 4 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid, ± 15 mm long. Seeds ovate, 5-7 x ± 4 mm, broadly and evenly winged.