Gladiolus atropurpureus Baker

Iridaceae, Peter Goldblatt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit

Plants 30-60 cm. high.

Vegetative Multiplication Corms

Corm (1-)1.5-2(-3) cm. in diameter, tunics fibrous pale straw-coloured, fibres mostly vertical and often thickened and claw-like below.

Morphology Leaves

Foliage leaves (of the flowering stem) 3-4(-5), entirely sheathing or with blades to 5(-10) cm. long, imbricate, narrowly lanceolate to linear, the margins and midribs hyaline and usually lightly thickened (foliage leaves on separate shoots not produced); leaves of non-flowering plants solitary, linear, 15-20 cm. long, 4-6(-12) mm. wide, usually with lightly thickened margins.

Morphology Stem

Stem erect, unbranched (rarely branched), usually lightly flexed above the sheath of the upper leaf.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spike (3-)5-10(-15)-flowered, lightly flexuose, inclined; bracts 1-1.5(-2) cm. long, green, rather soft-textured, the margins often membranous, attenuate, the inner somewhat shorter to nearly as long as the outer.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers either cream to light purple with the dorsal tepals flushed light to deep purple, the lower laterals each with a deep purple spade-shaped mark in the distal third, surrounded by a lighter area or partly to entirely dark purple, sometimes with pale markings on the lower tepals; perianth-tube 1-1.2 cm. long, curving outward between the bracts, widening near the mouth; tepals unequal, the dorsal 15-20 × 9-12 mm., largest, arching over the stamens, the upper laterals smaller, directed forwards, curving outward distally, the 3 lower joined with the upper laterals for ± 5 mm., horizontal to down-curved, usually exceeding the dorsal in profile, (10-)12-15 × 6-9 mm., narrowed below into claws, the limbs abruptly expanded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments 6-8 mm. long, exserted ± 4 mm.; anthers 5-8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style dividing opposite the upper half of the anthers, the branches 2-2.5 mm. long., usually reaching nearly to the apices of the anthers, rarely exceeding them.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules ovoid to ellipsoid, (1-)1.2-1.8 cm. long.

Figures

Fig. 13/4-5.

Habitat

Light woodland or low montane grassland, sometimes in rocky soils and rock outcrops; mainly 950-2600 m.; flowering at the beginning of the wet season, November-December, sometimes even before soaking rains have fallen, setting fruit in late December and January and then dormant through the wet months of February to April

Distribution

T1 T4 T7 T8

Iridaceae, P. Goldblatt. Flora Zambesiaca 12:4. 1993

Morphology General Habit

Plants 30–60 cm high.

Vegetative Multiplication Corms

Corms (10)15–20(30) mm in diameter; tunics fibrous, pale straw-coloured, fibres mostly vertical and often thickened and claw-like below.

Morphology Leaves

Foliage leaves of the flowering stem 3–4(5), entirely sheathing or with blades to 5(10) cm long, imbricate, narrowly lanceolate to linear, the margins and midribs hyaline and usually slightly thickened (hysteranthous foliage leaves on separate shoots are not produced); leaves of non-flowering plants solitary, 15–20 cm long, 4–6(12) mm wide, linear, usually with slightly thickened margins.

Morphology Stem

Stem erect, unbranched (rarely branched), usually slightly flexed above the sheath of the upper leaf.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spike (3)5–10(15)-flowered, slightly flexuous, inclined; bracts green, 10–15(20) mm long, attenuate, rather soft-textured, the margins often membranous, the inner bracts somewhat shorter to nearly as long as the outer.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers cream-coloured to light-purple with the upper tepals flushed light- to deep-purple, the lower lateral tepals each with a deep-purple spade-shaped mark in the distal third surrounded by a lighter area or partly to entirely dark-purple, sometimes with pale markings on the lower tepals; perianth tube 10–12 mm long, curving outward between the bracts, widening near the mouth; tepals unequal, the uppermost 15–20 × 9–12 mm, larger than the others and arching over the stamens, the upper lateral tepals smaller directed forwards and curving outwards distally, the 3 lower tepals (10)12–15 × 6–9 mm and horizontal to down-curved, joined with the upper laterals for c. 5 mm and usually exceeding the uppermost when viewed in profile, narrowed below into claws, the limbs abruptly expanded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments 6–8 mm long, exserted c. 4 mm; anthers 5–8 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style dividing opposite the upper half of the anthers, style branches 2–2.5 mm long, usually reaching nearly to the apices of the anthers, rarely exceeding them.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules (10)12–18 mm long, ovoid to ellipsoid.