Gladiolus vernus Oberm.

Plants (350-)450-750 mm high. Corm ± globose, 20-40 mm diam.; tunics of moderately coarse fibres, accumulating in a thick mass. Stem inclined above, simple or with up to 2 branches. Leaves usually 6, lower 4 basal, partly or completely dry at flowering, up to 450 mm long, stiff and gently curving, linear, 2-3 mm wide, ± oval in section, 2-grooved on each side with margins and main vein raised and thickened, uppermost 2 leaves largely to entirely sheathing, ± dry and often flushed pink. Spike inclined, lightly flexuose, usually 12-to 18-flowered; bracts partly dry at flowering, often flushed pink above, 10-15(-22) mm long, inner shorter to as long, broad and enclosing flower. Flowers slightly laterally compressed, pale to deep pink or cream-coloured, upper tepals more darkly pigmented above, lower lateral or all lower tepals pale yellow in middle third sometimes edged dark pink or purple, basal 1/2 of lower tepals speckled with pink, unscented; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 8-13 mm long; tepals with dorsal largest, inclined over stamens, (17-)20-30 x 10-18 mm, upper laterals obliquely spathulate, narrow at base, 15-26 x 8-11 mm, usually windowed between dorsal and upper lateral tepals, lower 3 united with upper laterals for 5-8 mm and together for 1.5-3.0 mm, clawed, lower laterals 10-13 mm long, claws linear-channelled, 2-3 mm long, abruptly expanded into broadly oval-auriculate limbs ± 7 x 6 mm, lower median 11-15 x 6-8 mm long, claw 1-3 mm long. Filaments 10-16 mm long, exserted ± 8-10 mm from tube; anthers 6-8 mm long, purplish; pollen whitish. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite base to upper 1/3 of anthers, branches 2-3 mm long. Capsules obovoid, 3-lobed above and retuse, 10-12 mm long. Seeds oval, ± 6 x 4 mm, evenly winged.