Gladiolus ornatus Klatt

Plants 250-350 mm high. Corm globose, 9-12 mm diam.; tunics ± membranous, fragmenting irregularly. Stem flexed outward above sheathing parts of upper three leaves and inclined, unbranched. Leaves 3, lowermost basal and sheathing lower 1/3 of stem, linear, 1-2 mm wide, main vein lightly raised, margins lightly to heavily thickened, cauline leaves inserted on upper 1/2 of stem, progressively shorter, uppermost sheathing for 1/2 its length, channelled throughout. Spike inclined, flexuose, (1)2-or 3-flowered; bracts dull green or grey-purple, outer 27-32 mm long, inner ± as long or slightly shorter. Flowers pale to deep pink, lower tepals with spear-spade-shaped white median streak edged in dark pink, lower part of throat white, irregularly streaked dark pink, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 18-20 mm long, lower cylindric part ± 12 mm long, enclosed in bracts; tepals with dorsal largest, inclined, 30-33 x 18-21 mm, upper laterals outcurving in upper half, 28-31 x 15-17 mm, lower tepals united for ± 5 mm, curving downward in upper 1/3, 25-28 x 10-14 mm. Filaments 12-14 mm long, exserted 5-6 mm from tube; anthers ± 10 mm long, mauve to violet; pollen cream-coloured to mauve. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite upper 1/3 of anthers, branches 4.0-5.5 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid, 16-20 mm long. Seeds unknown.