Gladiolus ceresianus L.Bolus

Plants 100-180(-300) mm high. Corm conical, 9-12 mm diam., with cormlets at base; tunics of dark, medium to coarsely textured fibres forming collar around base. Stem inclined throughout or erect below, flexed outward above sheath of uppermost leaf, unbranched. Leaves 3, always overlapping, lowermost longest and usually longer than stem, terete, 4-grooved, straight or falcate, 1-2 mm diam., second leaf sheathing lower 1/2 of stem and overlapping upper leaf sheath, reaching to ± middle of spike, third leaf shortest, sheathing only near base. Spike inclined, (1)2-to 4-flowered, lightly flexuose; bracts green or flushed reddish, outer 25-35(-40) mm long, inner slightly shorter, minutely notched. Flowers purplish brown or greenish grey, upper 3 tepals with dark purple veins radiating from midline, lower tepals greenish yellow in lower 2/3, sutures between tepals forming glistening papillose ridges, intensely sweetly scented; perianth tube narrowly and obliquely funnel-shaped, 12-16 mm long, slender basal part 8-10 mm long; tepals with dorsal longest, oblanceolate, 28-36(-45) x ± 11 mm, erect or inclined below and erect above, margins recurved, upper lateral tepals spade-shaped, bases abruptly narrowed into claws ± 4 mm long, limbs triangular, acuminate, curving outward above, 20-25 x 14-16 mm, lower 3 tepals united with upper laterals for 3-4 mm, free parts ± 16-25 mm long, clawed, narrow and channelled below, lower laterals with limbs 4-6 mm wide, lower median 9-10 mm wide. Filaments strongly arched, 20-22 mm long, exserted for ± 18 mm; anthers 8-9 mm long, light purple; pollen yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing between middle and upper 1/3 of anthers, branches ± 6 mm long. Capsules and seeds unknown.