Gladiolus equitans bracts in the spike

Gladiolus equitans flowers grow distichous, i.e. in two opposing ranks up the inclined spike.

The floral bracts are pale green, the outer one conspicuous, boat-shaped, red-margined and keeled with acutely pointed tip. The inner one is inconspicuous, two-keeled with forked tip (Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Eliovson, 1990; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).