Gladiolus inflatus, a pink bluebell

Gladiolus inflatus, the Tulbagh bell or bluebell is often not blue. Flower colour on the bulging corolla may also be mauve, violet, pink or white. The inflated look of the corolla gave the plant its specific name, inflatus. The lower tepals have variable spear-shaped or arrow-shaped markings on their upper surfaces, dark or dark-edged, while the centre of the mark may be yellow on the middle tepal, sometimes on all three.

The unscented, nodding flowers grow in a spike bearing two or three flowers. The spike is flexed at the base and slightly inclined. The two bracts around each flower base are grey green with transparent veins, the outer bract slightly bigger. The flowers have curved corolla tubes, funnel-shaped to bell-shaped and two-lipped. The three-branched stigma and three cohering grey-purple anthers are together below each dorsal tepal. The flower centre in picture has a small yellow spot.

Blooming happens in spring. The photo was taken during October in Bainskloof (Manning, 2007; Goldblatt and Manning, 1998; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).