Gladiolus permeabilis subsp. edulis flowers

The usually fragrant flowers of Gladiolus permeabilis subsp. edulis display several colours, including mauve, grey and cream with yellow markings. The tepals, excluding the dorsal one (at the top), have maroon lines along the centre, sometimes with yellow along these lines that do not quite reach the tepal tips. 

The lower, lateral tepals have greenish yellow colouring in their upper, broad parts. These tepals have long, narrow tips, undulating and spidery, looking like appendages. Thick anthers and a branched stigma can be seen peeping out of the corolla cup in the photo (Lowrey and Wright, 1987; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).