Gladiolus speciosus inflorescence

The inflorescence of Gladiolus speciosus is a spike bearing two to eight flowers that are secund, i.e. pointing in one direction from the stalk. The flower stalk usually zigzags as in the photo.

Large, soft green bracts subtending each flower are acutely pointed and keeled, conspicuous on the flowers past their prime in the photo. The outer bract exceeds the inner one in size.

The corolla is zygomorphic, i.e. laterally symmetrical, not radially symmetrical like a daisy. The strongly fragrant flowers are orange marked yellow to green, the tube short and the dorsal tepal arched, hooded over the stamens. The lowest tepals are mainly yellow on the inside apart from their tips. There is also some yellow on the outside tepal surfaces.

Flowering happens early in spring; this photo late, taken in October (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).