Gladiolus gracilis Jacq.

Plants 250-500(-700) mm high. Corm 12-20 mm diam.; tunics hard and woody, splitting below into claw-like segments. Stem erect or inclined, upper portion inclined, flexed outward above sheaths of upper 3 leaves, unbranched. Leaves (3)4, lowermost basal and sheathing lower 1/2 of stem, often scabridulous below, reaching to between upper 1/3 of stem and middle of spike, linear and H-shaped in section, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, margins raised into broad wings arching over blade surface, margin usually scabrid to ciliate, cauline leaves progressively shorter and sheathing for at least 1/2 their length, sheaths closed. Spike inclined, flexuose, 2-to 5(7)-flowered; bracts grey-green or becoming dull purple, margins membranous, outer 17-35(-43) mm long, apices often attenuate and somewhat twisted, inner bract shorter. Flowers pale blue to grey, occasionally pink or dull yellow, lower 3 tepals and abaxial side of throat pale yellow to cream-coloured and marked irregularly with dark purple streaks and spots, usually delicately and sweetly scented, sometimes apparently unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 12-18 mm long; tepals obovate, margins undulate, dorsal largest, 24-33 x 14-19 mm, curving outward in upper 1/2, upper laterals similar but slightly smaller, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 3-8 mm and together for a further 2-3 mm, narrowed below and shallowly channelled, sometimes ± claw-like, laterals 20-25 x 7-9 mm, arching downward distally, lower median 5-10 mm longer than lower laterals, up to 12 mm wide. Filaments 11-14 mm long, exserted 4-8 mm from tube; anthers 7-11 mm long, pale to dark blue; pollen cream-coloured or pale blue. Style arching over stamens, dividing shortly below to shortly beyond anther apices, branches 3-4 mm long. Capsules oblong-ellipsoid, acute, 12-18 mm long. Seeds ovate, 4.5-5.0 x ± 3 mm, broadly and evenly winged.