Gladiolus involutus Burm.F.

Plants 200-500 mm high, with cataphylls purple, usually mottled white. Corm depressed-globose, 12-17 mm diam., with large cormlets on slender white stolons; tunics softly papery or rarely somewhat fibrous. Stem usually erect below, sometimes inclined, flexed outward above sheathing part of each cauline leaf, simple or 2-or 3-branched. Leaves 7 to 9, lower 4 or 5 basal, reaching to base of spike or sometimes much longer, linear, 1.7-3.0 mm wide, thickened toward the midline, margins hyaline but not thickened, cauline leaves progressively smaller, uppermost not or barely clasping stem. Spike lightly inclined, barely flexuose, 4-to 7-flowered; bracts pale green flushed greyish purple, outer 25-35(-40) mm long, inner shorter, obtuse or minutely notched apically. Flowers white flushed pink or pale pink, lower 3 tepals pale greenish yellow below, edged with a narrow pink or purple line, entire flower and especially nectar guides turning pink with age, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, curving outward near apex of slender part, 16-18 mm long, emerging between bracts; tepals lanceolate-attenuate, upper laterals longest, 25-28 x 12.0-13.5 mm, directed forward below and twisted to lie over dorsal, curving outward distally, dorsal hooded over stamens, 20-24 x ± 13 mm, lower 3 tepals united below for 3-5 mm, lower laterals linear, 15-19 x 3-5 mm, narrowly clawed below for ± 2 mm, limb channelled-involute in lower 2/3, lower median 22-28 x 6-7 mm, obscurely clawed in lower 1 mm. Filaments 12-15 mm long, exserted 6-7 mm from tube; anthers 8-10 mm long, dull purplish; pollen pale orange. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle of anthers, branches ± 3 mm long. Capsules obovoid-ellipsoid, 20-25 mm long, acute or obtuse. Seeds ovate, 6-7 x ± 4 mm long, broadly and evenly winged, seed body often dark brown.