Gladiolus pulcherrimus (G.J.Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Plants 200-400(-650) mm high. Corm depressed-globose, 10-15 mm diam.; tunics membranous, decaying irregularly. Stem erect below, flexed outward above sheaths of cauline leaves and inclined, compressed and 3-angled to 3-winged, usually with 1 or 2 branches. Leaves 5 to 7(8), lower 4 or 5 ± basal, lowermost sometimes slightly longer than others, reaching to ± base of spike, lanceolate to sword-shaped, (3-)6-12 mm wide, plane, main vein scarcely evident in fresh plants, margins lightly thickened, sometimes lightly crisped, grey-green with waxy bloom, uppermost leaf often ± bract-like. Spike inclined, flexuose, usually 5-to 8-flowered; bracts pale grey-green, glaucous, prominently keeled, outer 35-50 mm long, inner shorter, usually 2-keeled, minutely notched apically. Flowers salmon-pink to orange, upper 3 tepals feathered reddish below, dorsal often whitish on inside surface, lower 3 tepals pale greenish with salmon apices, sutures between tepals thickened into iridescent papillose ridges, lightly rose-scented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, ± 11 mm long, lower cylindric part ± 5 mm long; tepals with dorsal largest, initially arching over stamens but later ascending and curving upward distally, oblanceolate, ± 40 x 19 mm, narrowed below into a claw-like base ± 8 mm long, upper laterals ± spade-shaped, ± 27 x 23 mm, with narrow base 3-4 mm long, limb broadly triangular, spreading distally, lower 3 tepals united for ± 2-3 mm, free parts ± 24 mm long, lower laterals narrowly spathulate, narrowed below and channelled, gradually expanding above and ± 5 mm wide, lower median with a claw ± 8 mm long, limb narrowly triangular, ± 12 mm wide. Filaments strongly arched, ± 22 mm long, exserted ± 18 mm from tube, shortly pilose; anthers ± 8.5 mm long, dull greenish yellow, reddish on lines of dehiscence; pollen yellowish. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle of anthers, branches ± 6 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid, 3-sided, (20-)25-40 mm long. Seeds ovate to fiddle-shaped, ± 8 x 6.5 mm, broadly and evenly winged.