Gladiolus stokoei G.J.Lewis

Plants 300-450 mm high. Corm globose, 12-15 mm diam.; tunics of fine fibres, forming collar around base. Stem erect, unbranched, straight. Leaves (1)2, not overlapping, largely sheathing, up to 12 mm long, uppermost with margins sometimes united around stem; foliage leaf solitary, produced after flowering, linear, ultimately to 250 mm long or more, 2.0-3.5 mm wide, with 1 or 2 lightly raised veins, lightly pilose, margins and main vein lightly raised. Spike erect, nearly straight, 1-to 3-flowered; bracts green and firm-textured, often reddish on margins, outer 25-30 mm long, inner slightly shorter or slightly longer, minutely forked. Flowers bright scarlet, nodding, tepals symmetrically disposed and forming a slightly compressed bowl with apices curving inward, lower 3 tepals with darker red median streak, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 30-35 mm long, lower cylindric part ± 20 mm long; tepals subequal, outer 3 suborbicular, ± 28-30 x 22-28 mm, inner 3 obovate, ± 25-27 x 15 mm. Filaments ± 20 mm long, exserted ± 11 mm from tube; anthers 10-12 mm long, yellow; pollen yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing slightly below or beyond anther tips, branches 5-7 mm long. Capsules and seeds unknown.