Gladiolus

Gladiolus is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family.
It is sometimes called the 'sword lily', but is usually called by its generic name.
The genus occurs in Asia, Mediterranean Europe, South Africa, and tropical Africa. The center of diversity is in the Cape Floristic Region. The genera Acidanthera, Anomalesia, Homoglossum, and Oenostachys, formerly considered distinct, are now included in Gladiolus.

Description

Gladioli grow from round, symmetrical corms that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics.
Their stems are generally unbranched, producing 1 to 9 narrow, sword-shaped, longitudinal grooved leaves, enclosed in a sheath. The lowest leaf is shortened to a cataphyll. The leaf blades can be plane or cruciform in cross section. The adaxial and abaxial surfaces of the leaf exhibit micro-striations with aligned micro-protrusions, which are coated with waxy nano-flakes. This three-level surface structure enables the leaf to shed rainfall droplets in a unidirectional manner due to anisotropic superhydrophobicity features, as reported by Mahesh C. Dubey et al.
The flowers of unmodified wild species vary from very small to perhaps 40 mm across, and inflorescences bearing anything from one to several flowers. The spectacular giant flower spikes in commerce are the products of centuries of hybridisation and selection.
The flower spikes are large and one-sided, with secund, bisexual flowers, each subtended by 2 leathery, green bracts. The sepals and the petals are almost identical in appearance, and are termed tepals. They are united at their base into a tube-shaped structure. The dorsal tepal is the largest, arching over the three stamens. The outer three tepals are narrower. The perianth is funnel-shaped, with the stamens attached to its base. The style has three filiform, spoon-shaped branches, each expanding towards the apex.
The ovary is 3-locular with oblong or globose capsules, containing many, winged brown, longitudinally dehiscent seeds.
These flowers are variously coloured, ranging from pink to reddish or light purple with white, contrasting markings, or white to cream or orange to red.

Taxonomy

The genus Gladiolus was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 with the name attributed to Joseph Pitton de Tournefort.

Species

There are about 260 species of Gladiolus endemic to southern Africa, and about 76 in tropical Africa. About 10 species are native to Eurasia. The genus has been divided into many sections. Most species, however, are only tentatively placed.
, Plants of the World Online accepted almost 300 species and hybrids:

Gladiolus abbreviatus Andrews
Gladiolus abyssinicus B.D.Jacks.
Gladiolus actinomorphanthus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal
Gladiolus acuminatus F.Bolus
Gladiolus adanus Eker & Sağıroğlu
Gladiolus aequinoctialis Herb.
Gladiolus aladagensis Eker & Sagiroglu
Gladiolus alanyensis H.Duman, Sağıroğlu, Tekşen & Karaman
Gladiolus alatus L.
Gladiolus albens Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus alucraensis Sağıroğlu & Eker
Gladiolus amplifolius Goldblatt
Gladiolus anatolicus Stapf
Gladiolus andringitrae Goldblatt
Gladiolus angustus L.
Gladiolus antakiensis A.P.Ham.
Gladiolus antandroyi Goldblatt
Gladiolus antholyzoides Baker
Gladiolus appendiculatus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus aquamontanus Goldblatt
Gladiolus arcuatus Klatt
Gladiolus atropictus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus atropurpureus Baker
Gladiolus atroviolaceus Boiss.
Gladiolus attilae Kit Tan, B.Mathew & A.Baytop
Gladiolus aurantiacus Klatt
Gladiolus aureus Baker
Gladiolus balensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus baumii Harms
Gladiolus bellus C.H.Wright
Gladiolus benguellensis Baker
Gladiolus bilineatus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus blommesteinii L.Bolus
Gladiolus bojeri Goldblatt
Gladiolus boranensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus brachyphyllus F.Bolus
Gladiolus brevifolius Jacq.
Gladiolus brevitubus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus buckerveldii Goldblatt
Gladiolus bullatus Thunb. ex G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus caeruleus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus calcaratus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus calcicola Goldblatt
Gladiolus canaliculatus Goldblatt
Gladiolus candidus Goldblatt
Gladiolus cardinalis Curtis
Gladiolus carinatus Aiton
Gladiolus carmineus C.H.Wright
Gladiolus carneus D.Delaroche
Gladiolus caryophyllaceus Poir.
Gladiolus cataractarum Oberm.
Gladiolus caucasicus Herb.
Gladiolus ceresianus L.Bolus
Gladiolus chelamontanus Goldblatt
Gladiolus chevalierianus Marais
Gladiolus clivorum Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus communis L.
Gladiolus comptonii G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus crassifolius Baker
Gladiolus crispulatus L.Bolus
Gladiolus cruentus T.Moore
Gladiolus cunonius Gaertn.
Gladiolus curtifolius Marais
Gladiolus curtilimbus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus cylindraceus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus dalenii Van Geel
Gladiolus davisoniae F.Bolus
Gladiolus debeerstii De Wild.
Gladiolus debilis Sims
Gladiolus decaryi Goldblatt
Gladiolus decoratus Baker
Gladiolus delpierrei Goldblatt
Gladiolus densiflorus Baker
Gladiolus deserticola Goldblatt
Gladiolus dichrous Goldblatt
Gladiolus diluvialis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus dolichosiphon Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus dolomiticus Oberm.
Gladiolus dubius Guss.
Gladiolus dzavakheticus Eristavi
Gladiolus ecklonii Lehm.
Gladiolus elliotii Baker
Gladiolus emiliae L.Bolus
Gladiolus engysiphon G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus equitans Thunb.
Gladiolus erectiflorus Baker
Gladiolus exalatus Goldblatt & Blittersd.
Gladiolus exiguus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus exilis G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus fenestratus Goldblatt
Gladiolus ferrugineus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus filiformis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus flanaganii Baker
Gladiolus flavoviridis Goldblatt
Gladiolus floribundus Jacq.
Gladiolus fourcadei Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus gallaecicus Pau ex J.-M.Tison & Girod
Gladiolus geardii L.Bolus
Gladiolus goldblattianus Geerinck
Gladiolus gracilis Jacq.
Gladiolus gracillimus Baker
Gladiolus grandiflorus Andrews
Gladiolus grantii Baker
Gladiolus gregarius Welw. ex Baker
Gladiolus griseus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus gueinzii Kunze
Gladiolus gunnisii Marais
Gladiolus guthriei F.Bolus
Gladiolus hajastanicus Gabrieljan
Gladiolus halophilus Boiss. & Heldr.
Gladiolus hamzaoglui H.Duman, Sagiroglu & Teksen
Gladiolus harmsianus Vaupel
Gladiolus hirsutus Jacq.
Gladiolus hollandii L.Bolus
Gladiolus horombensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus huillensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus humilis Stapf
Gladiolus huttonii Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus hyalinus Jacq.
Gladiolus illyricus W.D.J.Koch
Gladiolus imbricatus L.
Gladiolus inandensis Baker
Gladiolus inarimensis Guss.
Gladiolus inflatus Thunb.
Gladiolus inflexus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus insolens Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus intonsus Goldblatt
Gladiolus involutus D.Delaroche
Gladiolus iroensis Marais
Gladiolus italicus Mill.
Gladiolus izzet-baysalii Eker & Sagiroglu
Gladiolus jonquilodorus Eckl. ex G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus juncifolius Goldblatt
Gladiolus kamiesbergensis G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus karooicus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus kotschyanus Boiss.
Gladiolus lapeirousioides Goldblatt
Gladiolus laxiflorus Baker
Gladiolus ledoctei P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal
Gladiolus leonensis Marais
Gladiolus leptosiphon F.Bolus
Gladiolus liliaceus Houtt.
Gladiolus linearifolius Vaupel
Gladiolus lithicola Goldblatt
Gladiolus longicollis Baker
Gladiolus longispathaceus Cufod.
Gladiolus loteniensis Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
Gladiolus lundaensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus luteus Lam.
Gladiolus macneilii Oberm.
Gladiolus maculatus Sweet
Gladiolus magnificus Goldblatt
Gladiolus malvinus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus manikaensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus mariae Burgt
Gladiolus marlothii G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus martleyi L.Bolus
Gladiolus meliusculus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus melleri Baker
Gladiolus menitskyi Gabrieljan
Gladiolus mensensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus merianellus Thunb.
Gladiolus meridionalis G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus metallicola Goldblatt
Gladiolus micranthus Stapf
Gladiolus microcarpus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus microspicatus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus miniatus Eckl.
Gladiolus mirus Vaupel
Gladiolus monticola G.J.Lewis ex Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus mortonius Herb.
Gladiolus mosambicensis Baker
Gladiolus mostertiae L.Bolus
Gladiolus muenzneri Vaupel
Gladiolus murgusicus Mikheev
Gladiolus murielae Kelway
Gladiolus mutabilis G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus negeliensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus nerineoides G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus nigromontanus Goldblatt
Gladiolus numidicus Jord.
Gladiolus nyasicus Goldblatt
Gladiolus oatesii Rolfe
Gladiolus ochroleucus Baker
Gladiolus oliganthus Baker
Gladiolus oligophlebius Baker
Gladiolus oppositiflorus Herb.
Gladiolus orchidiflorus Andrews
Gladiolus oreocharis Schltr.
Gladiolus oreophilus Eker & Sağıroğlu
Gladiolus ornatus Klatt
Gladiolus osmaniyensis Sagiroglu
Gladiolus overbergensis Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus paludosus Baker
Gladiolus palustris Gaudin
Gladiolus papilio Hook.f.
Gladiolus pappei Baker
Gladiolus pardalinus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus parvulus Schltr.
Gladiolus patersoniae F.Bolus
Gladiolus pauciflorus Baker ex Oliv.
Gladiolus pavonia Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus permeabilis D.Delaroche
Gladiolus perrieri Goldblatt
Gladiolus persicus Boiss.
Gladiolus phoenix Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus pole-evansii I.Verd.
Gladiolus praecostatus Marais
Gladiolus pretoriensis Kuntze
Gladiolus priorii Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus pritzelii Diels
Gladiolus puberulus Vaupel
Gladiolus pubigerus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus pulcherrimus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus pungens P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus pusillus Goldblatt
Gladiolus quadrangularis Ker Gawl.
Gladiolus quadrangulus Barnard
Gladiolus recurvus L.
Gladiolus reginae Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus rehmannii Baker
Gladiolus rhodanthus J.C.Manning & Goldblatt
Gladiolus richardsiae Goldblatt
Gladiolus robertsoniae F.Bolus
Gladiolus robiliartianus P.A.Duvign.
Gladiolus rogersii Baker
Gladiolus roseolus Chiov.
Gladiolus roseovenosus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus rubellus Goldblatt
Gladiolus rudis Licht. ex Roem. & Schult.
Gladiolus rufomarginatus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus rupicola Vaupel
Gladiolus saccatus Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus salmoneicolor P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus salteri G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus saundersii Hook.f.
Gladiolus saxatilis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus scabridus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus schweinfurthii Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus scullyi Baker
Gladiolus sekukuniensis P.J.D.Winter
Gladiolus sempervirens G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus serapiiflorus Goldblatt
Gladiolus serenjensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus sericeovillosus Hook.f.
Gladiolus serpenticola Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus siirtensis Pınar, Eroğlu & Fidan
Gladiolus somalensis Goldblatt & Thulin
Gladiolus speciosus Thunb.
Gladiolus splendens Herb.
Gladiolus stefaniae Oberm.
Gladiolus stellatus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus stenolobus Goldblatt
Gladiolus stenosiphon Goldblatt
Gladiolus stokoei G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus subcaeruleus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus sudanicus Goldblatt
Gladiolus sufflavus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus sulculatus Goldblatt
Gladiolus symonsii F.Bolus
Gladiolus szovitsii Grossh.
Gladiolus taubertianus Schltr.
Gladiolus tenuis M.Bieb.
Gladiolus teretifolius Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus trichonemifolius Ker Gawl.
Gladiolus triphyllus Ker Gawl.
Gladiolus tristis L.
Gladiolus tshombeanus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal
Gladiolus uitenhagensis Goldblatt & Vlok
Gladiolus undulatus L.
Gladiolus unguiculatus Baker
Gladiolus usambarensis Marais ex Goldblatt
Gladiolus uysiae L.Bolus ex G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus vaginatus F.Bolus
Gladiolus vandermerwei Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus variegatus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus varius F.Bolus
Gladiolus velutinus De Wild.
Gladiolus venustus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus verdickii De Wild. & T.Durand
Gladiolus vernus Oberm.
Gladiolus vexillare Martelli
Gladiolus vigilans Barnard
Gladiolus vinosomaculatus Kies
Gladiolus violaceolineatus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus virescens Thunb.
Gladiolus virgatus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus virgineus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus viridiflorus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus watermeyeri L.Bolus
Gladiolus watsonioides Baker
Gladiolus watsonius Thunb.
Gladiolus wilsonii Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus woodii Baker
Gladiolus zambesiacus Baker
Gladiolus zimbabweensis Goldblatt

Natural and artificial hybrids include:

Gladiolus × byzantinus Mill.
Gladiolus × colvillii
Gladiolus × gandavensis
Gladiolus × lewisiae Oberm.
Gladiolus × sulistrovicus Kaminski, Szczep. & Cieslak