Enigmatic gladiolus

This Biedouw Valley Gladiolus has stripes on its lower tepals similar to those found on Gladiolus permeabilis. The blue-purple on the inside of the upper tepals is consistent with colouring in that species, but not the broad bases of the upper tepals that preclude “windows” between narrow tepal bases, normal for the species. The broadness of the upper tepals is clear to see on the red-purple exterior of the profiled flower.

It is not known whether G. permeabilis and for instance G. venustus might hybridise (Manning, 2007; Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; iNaturalist).