Gladiolus sericeovillosus subsp. sericeovillosus inside the flowers

The flowers of Gladiolus sericeovillosus subsp. sericeovillosus grow in two opposite arrays, closely spaced up the flower spike. The flowers are two-lipped, forming nearly bell-shaped, wide tubes. The inner surface of the dorsal tepal has a pinkish tint here. The other tepals are yellow, pale yellow or cream. The flowers may also be pink, pale greenish, sometimes speckled or striped pink, red or mauve.

Tepal tips are rounded, not curving out much and not extending far beyond the point where they part, giving the corolla a compact, stubby appearance, in contrast to the flaring forms of some species and especially some garden cultivars.

Three long, oblong, dark-lined anthers are erect within the flower mouths, as well as three pale style branches. The dorsal tepal is slightly hooded over these inner floral parts (Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist; iSpot; JSTOR; www.apps.kew.org).