Gladiolus hollandii L.Bolus

Plants 650-1200(-1500) mm high. Corm depressed-globose, 18-40 mm diam.; tunics leathery, fragmenting irregularly with age, bearing small cormlets at base. Stem erect, simple or 1-or 2-branched. Leaves 7 to 10, lower 4 to 6 ± basal, reaching between base and apex of spike, blades narrowly to broadly lanceolate, 8-18(-28) mm wide, main vein and margins lightly thickened, sometimes a second pair of veins also thickened, remaining veins fine and closely set, cauline leaves shorter and uppermost often entirely sheathing, imbricate, enclosing stem almost to base of spike. Spike erect, 18-to 30(-55)-flowered; bracts green, lanceolate-attenuate, becoming dry soon after flowering, outer 23-30(-35) mm long, inner shorter than outer, acute or subobtuse. Flowers pale pink, usually minutely dotted with dark pink, all tepals with a dark pink to reddish median streak, most pronounced on lower lateral tepals, unscented; perianth tube obliquely and narrowly funnel-shaped, 18-25(-30) mm long, wider upper part ± 9 mm long; tepals subequal, lanceolate, dorsal inclined over stamens, 20-27 x 12-14 mm, upper laterals 18-25 x 11-12 mm, lower 3 tepals united for 1-2 mm, free parts (12-)18-20 x 10 mm, lower median slightly longer than lower laterals. Filaments 12-17 mm long, exserted 6.0-8.5 mm from tube; anthers 6.5-8.0 mm long, dark purple; pollen cream-coloured. Style arching over stamens, dividing at or just beyond anther apices, branches ± 3 mm long. Capsules narrowly obovoid, 10-12 mm long, 3-lobed above and truncate. Seeds oblong, poorly and unevenly winged, ± 5 x 3 mm.