Gladiolus virgatus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Plants 400-500 mm high. Corm globose, ± 12-14 mm diam.; tunics hard and cartilaginous to woody, splitting below into claw-like segments. Stem erect below or inclined from base, flexed laterally above sheaths of upper 2 leaves, unbranched. Leaves 4, lower 2 basal, lowermost reaching to between base and slightly beyond apex of spike, sometimes sheathing stem up to middle, linear, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, main vein and margins lightly raised, remaining leaves progressively shorter and sheathing for 1/2 their length. Spike inclined, 2-to 4(6)-flowered; bracts green or flushed purple, ridged along veins 30-45(-50) mm long, inner slightly shorter, notched apically. Flowers pale to dark pink or nearly white, lower tepals with spear-shaped whitish median streak in lower half edged distally with dark pink V-shaped mark, speckled pink in throat, unscented; perianth tube 22-27 mm long, slender below, abruptly expanded in upper 4-7 mm, slightly exceeding bracts; tepals lanceolate, unequal, margins usually undulate, dorsal largest, inclined over stamens, ± 30-37 x 18-19 mm, upper laterals ± as long, 14-16 mm wide, arching outward in upper 1/3, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 2-3 mm and together for ± 3 mm, gently to sharply flexed downward in middle, lower laterals 20-28 x 10-12 mm, lower median 25-28 x 10-12 mm. Filaments 12-16 mm long, exserted ± 8 mm from tube; anthers 8-9 mm long, light mauve; pollen whitish. Style arching over stamens, dividing between upper 1/3 and slightly beyond anther apices, branches ± 6 mm long. Capsules and seeds unknown.