Gladiolus speciosus

Gladiolus speciosus, in Afrikaans known as bont kalkoentjie (little multicoloured turkey) and previously as G. alatus var. speciosus, is a short geophyte growing from a corm with papery tunic. Small corms are produced on long stolons around the main one.

The stem is winged, the three to five leaves stiff and usually longitudinally ridged.

The species distribution is mainly in the western part of the Western Cape, slightly spilling over into the Northern Cape around Nieuwoudtville.

The plant grows in deep sandy soil on flats, slopes and plateaus. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org; http://redlist.sanbi.org).