Gladiolus tristis

Linneaus

Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 1: 53. 1762.

Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 409. Mentioned on page 408.

Plants 50–90 (–150) cm. Corms tunicate, 10–20 mm diam.; tunics ± woody, broken into segments proximally and distally. Stems simple. Leaves 3, basal longest, usually ± reaching middle of stem, sheathing in lower 1/2, distalmost 2 leaves largely to entirely sheathing; blade cruciform in cross-section, 2–3 mm diam. Spikes 2–4 (–8) -flowered, secund; sheaths sometimes flushed grayish purple, subequal, 30–40 mm, inner slightly shorter than to ± equaling outer. Flowers strongly scented of carnations and cloves in evening; perianth-tube obliquely funnel-shaped, 45–50 mm, narrow cylindrical section ca. 25 mm; tepals white to cream, with darker greenish yellow or purple on midlines, margins transparent in lower 10 mm, especially between dorsal and inner lateral tepals, lanceolate, unequal, dorsal inclined to ± horizontal, 22–25 × 16 mm, outer tepals fused with inner lateral tepals for ca. 2 mm, ± straight and directed forward, or gently curving outward in distal 1/2, ca. 22 × 10 mm; filaments ca. 20 mm, included in tube; anthers ca. 12 mm, partly included in tube; style branching opposite distal 1/3 of anthers; branches ca. 6 mm, reaching beyond anthers. Capsules oblong-ellipsoid, 34–36 mm. Seeds broadly winged, 5 × 4 mm.


Phenology: Flowering mostly Mar–Apr.
Habitat: Roadsides, grassy banks
Elevation: 800 m

Distribution

Introduced; Calif., s Africa

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"longest" is not a number.

... more about "Gladiolus tristis"
dehiscing +  and latrorse +
12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br /> (?) +
Peter Goldblatt +
Linneaus +
parallel-veined +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
cruciform +
flushed grayish +  and green +
inner +  and outer +
notched +, forked +  and acute +
unequal +
filiform +
expanded +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (?) +
oblong-ellipsoid +
3.4 cm34 mm <br />0.034 m <br /> (3.6 cm36 mm <br />0.036 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
monochasial +
Calif. +  and s Africa +
2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
inclined +  and more or less horizontal +
16 cm160 mm <br />0.16 m <br /> (?) +
distinct or;partly completely connate +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (?) +
scented +
winged +, branched +  and simple +
angled +, compressed +  and terete +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
woody;firm;cartilaginous +
Roadsides, grassy banks +
with flowers +, spicate +  and partly fully secund +
cauline +  and basal +
transparent +
lanceolate +
unequal +
curving +  and straight +
22 cm220 mm <br />0.22 m <br /> (?) +
4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
funnel--shaped +
petaloid +, zygomorphic +  and actinomorphic +
Flowering mostly Mar–Apr. +
Sp. Pl. ed. +
cylindrical +
light;dark-brown +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (?) +
few +  and many +
angular;globose +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (?) +
less equaling outer +  and slightly shorter than to more +
subequal +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
Introduced +
secund +  and 2-4(-8)-flowered +
monochasial +
3-lobed +  and filiform +
expanded +
Gladiolus tristis +
Gladiolus +
species +
purple +, yellow +, darker greenish +, white +  and cream +
unequal +
narrower +
90 cm900 mm <br />0.9 m <br /> (150 cm1,500 mm <br />1.5 m <br />) +
unequal +