Gladiolus exiguus G.J.Lewis

Plants 300-400 mm high. Corm depressed-globose, 25-35 mm diam.; tunics of coarse, netted fibres, accumulating to form a thick collar of fibres around base of stem. Stem erect below, flexed outward above sheath of penultimate leaf, inclined in upper third, unbranched. Leaves 7 or 8, lower 5 or 6 ± basal, forming a crowded fan, reaching to between upper 1/3 of stem and base of spike, narrowly lanceolate, 9-15 mm wide, margins moderately thickened and main vein less so, with fine, closely set tertiary veins between, upper 1 or 2 leaves cauline, overlapping and largely sheathing. Spike inclined, 12-to 20-flowered; bracts dull green or flushed with grey-purple, outer 23-33 mm long, 1.5-2.0 internodes long, lightly folded along midline, acute to somewhat attenuate, inner bracts a little more than 1/2 as long, notched apically. Flowers pale creamy pink to deep pink, without noticeable nectar guides, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 14-16 mm long; tepals lanceolate-elliptic, dorsal arching over stamens and nearly horizontal, 20-22 x 14 mm, upper lateral and lower median ± 22 x 12 mm, lower laterals smallest, ± 18 x 10 mm. Filaments ± 15 mm long, exserted ± 7 mm from tube; anthers ± 6 mm long, brownish purple; pollen cream-coloured. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle of anthers, branches ± 3 mm long. Capsules broadly ovoid, rounded apically, (9-)12-14 mm long. Seeds ovate to triangular, 4-6 mm long, unevenly winged or winged only at one end.