Gladiolus leptosiphon F.Bolus

Plants 250-450 mm high. Corm 14-18 mm diam.; tunics of fairly coarse fibres, often claw-like below. Stem erect, flexed outward above sheath of uppermost leaf, simple or branched. Leaves ± 6, lower 4 basal and reaching to ± top of spike, linear, 2.0-2.5 mm wide, thickened in central area, margins not thickened, upper cauline leaves much shorter. Spike inclined, ± straight, 4-to 9-flowered; bracts fairly soft-textured, becoming pale and dry above, (15-)18-22 mm long, inner bract slightly shorter or longer than outer, forked apically. Flowers cream-coloured to pale yellow, lower 3 tepals with dark red to purple median streak in lower 1/2 extending to base of throat, unscented; perianth tube 45-50 mm long, lower part 40-45 mm long, cylindric, curving gently outward, expanding into a wider throat ± 5 mm long; tepals lanceolate-attenuate, upper 3 largest, 25-35 x 9-12 mm, arching outward distally, dorsal arched over stamens, lower 3 tepals united with upper laterals for ± 3 mm, lower laterals ± linear, 18-22 x ± 3.5 mm, lower median curving below lower laterals and exceeding them, 25-32 x 4-5 mm. Filaments ± 10 mm long, exserted 4-5 mm from tube, usually light purple; anthers 7-8 mm long, dark blue-purple; pollen purplish. Style arching over stamens, dividing close to anther apices, branches ± 2 mm long. Capsules obovoid-ellipsoid, obtuse, ± 15 mm long. Seeds ovate, ± 4.5 x 3 mm, broadly and evenly winged, seed body blackish.