Gladiolus equitans leaves

Gladiolus equitans typically grows four to five leaves, the lowest couple basal or nearly so. The leaf arrangement is distichous, i.e. in two opposing, vertical ranks alternating up the stem and decreasing in size on the way up.

The leaves are broadly lance-shaped, longitudinally ridged with prominently thick margins that appear glass-like or are often red. The snake-like leaf ridge undulations in picture are not evenly spread across the blades. Leaves are up to 4,5 cm wide and curved to sickle-shaped.

The leaf colour, here dull blue-grey, may also be brighter green (Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Eliovson, 1990; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).