Gladiolus scabridus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Plants up to 1 m high, sometimes puberulous on cataphylls. Corm ± globose, 30-35 mm diam.; tunics firm-papery becoming fibrous. Stem erect, scabrid, simple or 1-or 2-branched. Leaves 7 to 9, lower 5 or 6 ± basal in a loose fan reaching to between base and apex of spike, scabrid-papillose, sword-shaped, usually 10-20(-24) mm wide, main and a pair of secondary veins moderately thickened and raised, margins less so, cauline leaves decreasing in size above, uppermost often entirely sheathing. Spike erect and straight, 10-to 16-flowered; bracts dull green to dull greenish purple, scabrid, often ± dry above, apices twisted outward, outer 25-35 mm long, ± 2.5 internodes long, inner forked, shorter to slightly longer than outer. Flowers pink, lower 3 tepals with narrow white longitudinal zone in lower 2/3 and reddish median streak, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 35-40 mm long, cylindric in lower 30-35 mm; tepals lanceolate, upper 3 largest and subequal, 40-45 mm long, dorsal 18-20 mm wide, upper laterals 16-18 mm wide, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 3-4 mm and together for ± 4 mm, ± straight, tilted toward ground, 35-40 x 10-12 mm. Filaments 15-16 mm long, exserted ± 8 mm from tube; anthers 10-13 mm long, pale yellow; pollen white. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite or shortly beyond anther apices, branches 5-6 mm long. Capsules oblong, 3-lobed above and retuse, 16-22 mm long. Seeds broadly ovate, 6-8 x 4-5 mm, ± evenly winged or wing only on one side.