Gladiolus flanaganii, a thing of beauty

After the sustained determination of the climb, the curve in the neck of the Gladiolus flanaganii bloom adds to the exhilaration of the flower seeking mountaineer. The fact that the usually green leaves are blue grey here does not detract from the sighting. Perfection, like beauty, is in certain circumstances also in the eye of the beholder. 

The pointed blades are not flat here. Uneven ridges and apparent channels are visible on the otherwise smooth surfaces. But leaves may go unnoticed (Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; iNaturalist).