Gladiolus robertsoniae F.Bolus

Plants 200-400 mm high. Corm globose, 14-18 mm diam.; tunics of somewhat wiry fibres. Stem erect, simple or with 1 branch, usually lightly flexed above sheaths of upper 2 leaves, 1.2-1.7 mm diam. below base of spike. Leaves 3(4), lower 2 linear to falcate, 80-160 mm long, 2-4 mm wide, main vein moderately thickened, margins lightly or not raised, cauline leaves shorter. Spike weakly inclined, ± straight, 4-to 8-flowered; bracts dark green sometimes flushed purple, outer 16-18 mm long, inner shorter to almost as long, notched apically. Flowers white or sometimes faintly flushed with violet toward tepal apices, reverse of tepal apices mauve in bud, reverse of tepals and tube becoming pale mauve on fading, lower side of throat with or without fine red lines decurrent on lower tepal bases, remaining open and carnation-scented day and night; perianth tube 28-44 mm long, straight and cylindric below, curving outward ± 6 mm below mouth and then flaring, 2.5 times as long as bracts; tepals broadly lanceolate to ovate, unequal, dorsal smallest, 18-24 x 12-16 mm, lightly inclined, broadly cordate above narrow base, upper laterals spreading gradually, 20-25 x 13-18 mm, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 4-6 mm, lower laterals 16-25 x 7.5-9.0 mm, lower median 14-22 x ± 11 mm. Filaments 8-9 mm long, included in upper part of tube or exserted up to 2 mm; anthers 5-9 mm long, white or light mauve; pollen yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing between upper 1/3 and apex of anthers, branches 3.5-4.5 mm long. Capsules ± globose, 10-14 mm long. Seeds ovate, broadly winged, 5-6 x 3-4 mm.