Irideae. Tribe Ixieae.
Gladiolus, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 709.
Gladiolus Pritzelii, Diels in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. vol. xliv. p. 118.
This graceful little Gladiolus was first found by Diels at Hantams Berg, Calvinia District, and described by him in 1909, and in September 1921 the plant was again collected by Dr. R. Marloth in the same locality. It belongs to the same group in the genus as G. spathaceus (the Caledon Bluebell), and G. involutus (the George Bluebell), having the same bell-shaped flowers. In the original description the plant is said to be one-flowered, but in the specimens received from Dr. Marloth the spikes were 2-4-flowered.
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1459).
Description:—Corm globose, 2 cm. long, 2·2 cm. in diameter, with fibrous tunics produced into a short neck. Leaves two to each plant; the lower about 5 cm. long, spathaceous, clasping the stem, minutely pubescent and with hyaline margins; the upper 26-43 cm. long, free for 14-24 cm. above, linear, acute, with two prominent ribs above and beneath. Spikes 2-4-flowered. Outer spathe valve membranous, 3 cm. long, 8 mm. broad, lanceolate, many-veined, with membranous margins, glabrous; inner valve 2 cm. long, hyaline-membranous. Perianth-tube 7 mm. long, curved, cylindric below, becoming campanulate above. Posterior-lobes 1·5 cm. long, 1 cm. broad, obovate, subacuminate, obtuse; anterior lobe 2·3 cm. long, 1·3 cm. broad, obovate, rounded above, hooded; side lobes 1·5 cm. long, 1·3 cm. broad, obovate, shortly and bluntly acuminate. Anthers projecting beyond the junction with the filament. Ovary 3 mm. long, ellipsoid; style terete; stigmas spathulate, 2-lobed.