Gladiolus saundersii flower in demure mode

This dorsal tepal is clearly facing down, rendering the flower bashful. Floral can range from defiant, in your face to timid and retiring.

If the stamens and style of Gladiolus saundersii needed shade on a hot day, it is certainly provided by the droop of the flower. The vein lines on the rounded back of the dorsal appear smoother than the rest of the limb’s surface (Pooley, et al, 2025; Manning, 2009; Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; Pooley, 1998; Trauseld, 1969; iNaturalist).