Gladiolus orchidiflorus

Gladiolus orchidiflorus, in Afrikaans commonly the groenkalkoentjie (little green turkey) or vaalkalkoentjie (little grey turkey) in those parts that do not manage much green, is a cormous perennial reaching heights from 30 cm to 80 cm. The conical to globose corm is from 12 mm to 20 mm in diameter, the above-ground plant parts deciduous.

The species distribution is in the Northern Cape, the Western Cape and the Free State; also present in the south of Namibia.

The plant grows in the open on sandy and clayey, stony flats, often in succulent Karoo. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).