Gladiolus cataractarum Oberm.

Plants to 0.7 m high. Corm globose, ± 30 mm diam.; tunics leathery becoming partly fibrous. Stem erect, unbranched. Leaves 8 or 9, lower 6 basal and reaching to shortly below base of spike, narrowly to broadly lanceolate, (20-)35-45 mm wide, margins and main vein lightly thickened and hyaline, cauline leaves progressively shorter, largely sheathing. Spike straight and erect, 8-to 16-flowered; bracts green, firm-textured, outer 50-60(-70) mm long, attenuate, ± 2 internodes long, inner shorter, minutely forked. Flowers pink, lower 3 tepals marked with longitudinal reddish lines along midline, unscented; perianth tube cylindric below, 40-50 mm long, flared outward in upper 10 mm; tepals lanceolate, upper 3 largest, 44-48 x ± 16 mm, dorsal arched to nearly horizontal, upper laterals spreading outward in distal 1/2, lower lateral tepals ± 40 x 14 mm, spreading distally. Filaments ± 12 mm long, exserted ± 4 mm from tube; anthers ± 12 mm long, yellow; pollen yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing shortly beyond anther apices, branches ± 5 mm long. Capsules oblong, 3-lobed above and retuse, ± 30 mm long. Seeds oblong, 7-8 x 4-5 mm, broadly and evenly winged.