Gladiolus debilis

The little painted lady, as Gladiolus debilis is commonly known, is a real delight to encounter in the veld in springtime.

The slender plant may produce up to four leaves apart from its delicate flowers. The leaves have raised margins. The dark markings on the lower tepals show interesting variations when comparing photos from people who have walked in different parts of the distribution area. One wonders whether those markings differ according to the location of the plant. 

The flower style with its pink or white three-branched stigma grows taller than the stamens. This flower was found in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve during September (Manning, 2007; www.ispot.org.za).