Gladiolus rhodanthus J.C.Manning & Goldblatt

Plants 300-500 mm high. Corm globose, 18-25 mm diam., tunics of medium-textured to fine fibres, accumulating around. Stem flexed outward above sheath of second leaf and inclined, unbranched. Leaves 3, lower 1 or 2 basal, the second sheathing lower 1/2 of stem, pubescent throughout, lowermost with blade reaching to between base and apex of spike, sometimes becoming dry at flowering time, the second with blade rather short and reaching upper 1/3 of stem, ± linear, 3-6 mm wide, main vein thickened and raised and a second pair of veins lightly thickened, margins scarcely thickened, uppermost leaf with vestigial blade. Spike inclined, lightly flexuose, 2-to 5-flowered; bracts green or flushed brownish above, outer 26-45 mm long, acute, shorter 3 or rarely ± as long, lightly notched. Flowers deep pink, lower 3 tepals with spear-shaped whitish median streak in lower half edged in dark pink, especially in upper half, sometimes darker edging expanded transversely across entire width of upper laterals, throat white with dark pink streaks, unscented; perianth tube 25-36 mm long, cylindric below for 20-28 mm, obliquely expanded in upper 5-7 mm, shortly exceeding bracts; tepals lanceolate, dorsal largest, inclined over stamens, 35-40 x 19-24 mm, upper laterals slightly shorter, 30-38 x 13-19 mm, recurved distally, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 5 mm and to one another for 1-2 mm, 27-30 x 12-13 mm. Filaments 15-17 mm long, exserted 8-10 mm from tube; anthers 8-9 mm long, light mauve; pollen cream-coloured. Style arching over stamens, opposite or slightly beyond anther apices, branches 5-7 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid, 20-22 x 8-9 mm. Seeds ovate, 5.5-7.0 x 4 mm, broadly and evenly winged, golden-brown.