Gladiolus flanaganii flower

Gladiolus flanaganii produces striking carmine-red flowers that are unscented. The colour makes the flowers popular, although a flower does not last longer than a day or two on the plant. Bright corolla colours spotted rarely on a rocky slope remind pollinators to hurry.

The perianth tubes flare gradually from the base, slightly curved in profile. The obovate perianth segments are somewhat cupped above, the flowers appearing urn-shaped to slightly closing. The outer three segments or tepals of each flower are slightly bigger than the inner ones that deviate slightly from being equal in size and shape. The lower three tepals of the perianth or corolla each has a longitudinal white streak along its centre, flanked by dark red. There are also white streaks in the red, lower part of the tubes. The perianths are about 4 cm long.

The filaments are up to 3 cm long, the anthers 1 cm and exserted. The ovaries are oblong, about 7 mm long. The styles arch over the stamens, branching beyond the anthers (Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; iNaturalist).