Gladiolus inflatus, a pink bluebell

Gladiolus inflatus, the Tulbagh bell or bluebell is often not blue. Flower colour on the bulging corolla may be mauve, violet, pink or white besides the blue option.

The inflated look of the corolla gave the plant its specific name, inflatus. The lower tepals have variable spear-shaped or arrow-shaped markings on their upper surfaces, dark or dark-edged, while the centre of the mark is yellow coloured on the middle tepal, or sometimes on all three.

The unscented, nodding flowers have curved tubes, funnel-shaped to bell-shaped, yet two-lipped. The three-branched stigma and three cohering dark anthers can be seen below the dorsal tepal. The centre of the flower in picture has a small yellow spot. Blooming happens in spring. This photo was taken during October in Bainskloof (Manning, 2007; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).