Gladiolus vaginatus F.Bolus

Plants (220-)300-550(-1050) mm high. Corm globose to slightly depressed-globose, 18-30 mm diam.; tunics thin and papery, decaying into fine fibres. Stem straight and erect, unbranched, continuing to elongate after flowering, remaining green for several months. Leaves 2, lowermost basal and entirely sheathing lower 2/3 of stem, blade completely suppressed, upper leaf reduced to sheathing scale 16-20 mm long, inserted above basal leaf, margins overlapping; leaves of non-flowering plants and seedlings solitary, linear, slightly succulent, 1.0-1.5 mm wide. Spike flexed at base and inclined, lightly flexuose, 2-to 6(12)-flowered; bracts grey to purplish green, outer 15-20 mm long, inner slightly shorter or ± as long, acute or minutely forked apically. Flowers pale blue, lower tepals streaked and dotted with purple on a cream-coloured to yellow background, throat yellow and minutely speckled with red-purple, usually with a light sweet scent; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 6.5-20.0 mm long, wider upper part 3-8 mm long; tepals with dorsal largest, ovate to lanceolate, arching over stamens to nearly horizontal, 18-27 x 8-13 mm, upper laterals spreading in upper 1/2, 17-23 x 6.5-10.0 mm, lower 3 tepals united with upper laterals for 2.5-4.0 mm and together for 3-6 mm, free parts lanceolate, 12-20 x 5-8 mm, narrowed and channelled below. Filaments 8-14 mm long, exserted 5-8 mm from tube; anthers 5.5-11.0 mm long, mauve; pollen pale mauve. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle of anthers, branches 2-4 mm long. Capsules broadly ovoid, obtuse, 10-13 mm long. Seeds oblong, 7 x 4 mm, broadly and evenly winged.