Gladiolus viridiflorus G.J.Lewis

Plants 80-150(-300) mm high, with cataphylls mottled purple and white, rarely entirely purple, often puberulous. Corm globose to conic, 12-25 mm diam.; tunics of hard, woody layers divided into segments below or coarsely netted with claw-like ridges. Stem erect or slightly inclined below, flexed outward above sheath of second leaf and inclined, flexed at upper nodes, simple or with 1(2) branches, 1.3-2.0 mm diam. Leaves (3)4, lower 2 or 3 basal, erect to falcate, sheaths often puberulous, blades usually loosely twisted to lightly coiled, 2.7-6.0 mm wide, shorter than spike, up to 100 mm long, main vein evident but not thickened, margins not thickened, cauline leaves diverging sharply from stem. Spike lightly to strongly flexuose-scalloped, inclined to almost horizontal, (2)3-to 8-flowered; bracts green and slightly glaucous, outer (20-)25-40(-75) mm long, inner shorter, margins broadly transparent. Flowers greenish to yellowish brown with purple highlights, lower tepals with broad transverse yellow band in distal 1/3 outlined in purple and often dark near apices, strongly scented of freesia; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 12-17 mm long; tepals lanceolate, dorsal longest, 23-31 x 10-15 mm, inclined over stamens, upper lateral tepals 20-26 x 10-14 mm, narrowly windowed between dorsal and upper lateral tepals, lower tepals joined to upper laterals for 3-5 mm, and together for ± 2 mm, narrowly lanceolate, free parts 15-20 x 5-7 mm, arching downward. Filaments 12-15 mm long, exserted 6-8 mm from tube; anthers 6-9 mm long, greenish; pollen pale yellow. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle of anthers, branches 3-4 mm long. Capsules broadly ellipsoid, acute, (12-)15-21 x ± 10 mm. Seeds broadly ovate, 10-12 x 8-10 mm, broadly and evenly winged.