Gladiolus rehmannii Baker

Plants 300-500(-900) mm high. Corm globose, 18-22 mm diam.; tunics brittle-papery to cartilaginous, decaying irregularly. Stem erect or flexed outward just below base of spike, occasionally branched, completely sheathed by bases of cauline leaves. Leaves (6-)8 or 9, lower (3)4 or 5 basal with a pseudostem, forming a lax fan above, reaching at least to base or shortly exceeding spike, narrowly lanceolate, (4-)8-16 mm wide, main vein moderately thickened, margins barely thickened, cauline leaves overlapping, progressively smaller above, upper 1 or 2 usually entirely sheathing and bract-like, sometimes slightly inflated. Spike inclined, flexuose, 6-to 10(16)-flowered, internodes fairly short, 12-14(-20) mm long; bracts pale green or flushed with purple, often glaucous on upper surfaces (facing sun), occasionally folded but not keeled, outer (40-)45-60(-115) mm long, overlapping, 3-4 internodes long, inner shorter, acute or shortly forked. Flowers white to pale lilac, lower lateral or all 3 lower tepals with yellow nectar guides sometimes outlined in light purple, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 15-20 mm long, enclosed in bracts; tepals lanceolate, dorsal inclined over stamens, (30-)38-50 x 12-18 mm, upper laterals usually 32-52 x 10-16 mm, usually longer than dorsal, directed forward, curving outward distally, lower lateral tepals 28-43 x 8-14 mm, lower median usually substantially larger, 30-45 x 8-14 mm, arching downward. Filaments 10-12 mm long, exserted 2-5 mm from tube but enclosed in lower part of flower; anthers 9-10 mm long; pollen pale lilac to blue or yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing between middle and apex of anthers, branches 6-8 mm long. Capsules oblong, 3-lobed above, 25-35 mm long. Seeds ovate-oblong, 12-14 x 7-8 mm, broadly and evenly winged.