Gladiolus subcaeruleus G.J.Lewis

Plants 150-300 mm high, with cataphylls resembling leaves of flowering stem, puberulous above ground. Corm conic, 8-12 mm diam.; tunics firm-papery, decaying irregularly and becoming fibrous from the base, forming a fibrous collar around base. Stem erect below, flexed lightly above sheaths of upper 2 leaves, unbranched. Leaves 3(4), all entirely sheathing, lowermost sheathing lower 1/3-1/2 of stem, usually 60-80 mm long, second leaf inserted at ± middle of stem, slightly shorter than basal, sometimes just overlapping next leaf, uppermost leaf 20-40 mm long; foliage leaf produced after flowering, solitary, filiform, oval in section with 4 longitudinal grooves, with fine scattered deflexed hairs along groove edges. Spike lightly inclined, nearly straight, 3-to 5-flowered; bracts grey-green, outer 11-17 mm long, inner acute, slightly shorter to slightly longer. Flowers pale blue, lower lateral tepals with yellow transverse or spear-shaped median markings outlined in dark purple, lower median less prominently marked or unmarked, unscented or with a light metallic odour; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, ± 15-17 mm long, lower cylindric part 8-10 mm long; tepals lanceolate to ovate, unequal, upper 3 largest, ovate, dorsal inclined over stamens, 20-24 x 10-12 mm, upper laterals directed forward, becoming patent in upper 1/3, ± 20 x 9-12 mm, lower 3 tepals united with upper laterals for ± 4 mm and together for ± 2 mm, lower laterals narrowed below into channelled claws ± 9 mm long, limbs ± 7 x 4.5 mm, lower median tepal lanceolate, not distinctly clawed, ± 15 x 7 mm, in profile lower tepals exceeding upper by ± 10 mm. Filaments 12-15 mm long, exserted 7-8 mm from tube; anthers 4.5-5.0 mm long, pale mauve; pollen cream-coloured. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite anther apices, branches 2.0-3.5 mm long. Capsules obovoid, rounded apically, 10-12 mm long, mature capsules not seen. Seeds unknown.