Gladiolus saccatus (Klatt) Goldblatt & M.p.de Vos

Plants (0.3-)0.4-0.6(-1.2) m high, with cataphylls purple mottled with white. Corm globose to conic, 12-15 mm diam., with large cormlets on short stolons; tunics papery, fragmenting irregularly or becoming ± fibrous. Stem flexed at each of upper nodes, inclined above, dark purplish green or purple, 2-or 3(6)-branched. Leaves 5 or 6(7), lower 3 basal, reaching to ± upper part of stem or rarely to base of spike, narrowly lanceolate, ± plane or lightly pleated, 3-15 mm wide, main and usually one other vein well developed, margins not thickened, cauline leaves shorter, diverging from stem, not or hardly sheathing. Spike inclined, 8-to 12(15)-flowered in 2 ranks; bracts ± succulent, purple-brown, outer 20-35(-42) mm long, inner shorter to ± as long. Flowers bright red, lower 3 tepals and spur green at anthesis becoming yellow to orange later, unscented; perianth tube 11-20 mm long, slender and cylindric in lower 6-12 mm, abruptly expanded into wider upper part, 5-8 mm long, with a sac-like spur 2-6 mm long at lower base; tepals markedly unequal, dorsal spathulate, extending horizontally, 30-45 mm long, claw 12-16 mm long, limb obovate-concave, 18-26 x 10-15 mm, upper laterals joined to dorsal for ± 5 mm, linear, free part 2-5 x 2-3 mm, lower tepals reduced, lower lateral tepals joined to upper laterals on one side, and together for ± 4 mm, free parts 1.5-3.0 mm long, lower median ± 1.5 mm long. Filaments 31-42 mm long, median filament with enlarged flattened horny crest at base in front projecting into spur thus dividing it in half; anthers 8-10 mm long, attached to filaments near middle with thecae free below, bright red; pollen yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing 2-3 mm below anthers, branches ± 10 mm long, conduplicate, expanded and stigmatic only at tips. Capsules ovoid, acute, (20-)25-30 mm long. Seeds ovate to oblong, 7-11 x 4.5-5.5 mm, broadly and sometimes unevenly winged, seed body blackish.