Gladiolus exilis G.J.Lewis

Plants 300-600 mm high. Corm ovoid, 12-15 mm diam.; tunics leathery, becoming finely fibrous. Stem slender, usually lightly flexed above sheaths of leaves and inclined above, unbranched. Leaves 3, lowermost basal, sheathing lower 1/2 of stem, reaching ± upper 1/3 of stem, blade linear, (50-)80-120 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm wide, plane and slightly succulent, margins and main vein not thickened or raised, remaining leaves inserted on upper 1/3 of stem, much shorter than basal and slightly narrower. Spike inclined, weakly flexuose, 1-to 4-flowered; bracts greyish green, relatively soft-textured, outer 20-30 mm long, often attenuate and twisted, inner slightly shorter to ± as long, usually minutely forked apically. Flowers pale blue-mauve to whitish barely flushed with mauve, lower lateral tepals with narrow, pale yellow median streak in lower half, all 3 lower tepals irregularly streaked and speckled with dark mauve, usually lightly violet-scented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 11-15 mm long, lower cylindric part 7-10 mm long; tepals lanceolate, dorsal 22-35 x 11-18 mm, extending ± horizontally over stamens, curved upward distally, upper laterals 22-33 x 10-15 mm, slightly spreading above, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 5-8 mm and together for 3-4 mm, laterals 16-28 x ± 6 mm, narrow below and becoming channelled toward base, lower median 18-28 x ± 9 mm. Filaments 11-12 mm long, exserted 5-7 mm from tube; anthers 8-10 mm long, pale mauve; pollen whitish. Style arching over stamens, dividing at or just beyond anther apices, branches ± 3 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid, 12-15 mm long. Seeds ovate, ± 6 x 4 mm, broadly and evenly winged.