Gladiolus vinosomaculatus leaves

The narrow, sword-shaped leaves of Gladiolus vinosomaculatus next to the flower stalk become at least as tall as the lowest flower, sometimes up to the highest one.

Most of the five to eight leaves grow from the base in a pseudostem and arranged somewhat fan-like, the stem-leaves smaller. Leaves are from 4 mm to 12 mm wide. The leaf midribs and margins are slightly thickened, pale against the light in picture.

The small cataphylls that sheathe the corm appear above-ground but are low, flushed purple, brown or pale to dark green, usually invisible in the grass (Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; iNaturalist).