Gladiolus

Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword) is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae).
It is sometimes called the 'sword lily', but is usually called by its generic name (plural gladioli).
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 (similar to crocuses) 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 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.
Ecology
The South African species were originally pollinated by long-tongued anthophorini bees, but some changes in the pollination system have occurred, allowing pollination by sunbirds, noctuid and Hawk-moths, long-tongued flies and several others. In the temperate zones of Europe many of the hybrid large flowering sorts of gladiolus can be pollinated by small well-known wasps. Actually, they are not very good pollinators because of the large flowers of the plants and the small size of the wasps. Another insect in this zone which can try some of the nectar of the gladioli is the best-known European Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum which usually pollinates many popular garden flowers like Petunia, Zinnia, Dianthus and others.
Gladioli are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Large Yellow Underwing, and gladiolus thrips.
Horticulture
Gladioli have been extensively hybridized and a wide range of ornamental flower colours are available from the many varieties. The main hybrid groups have been obtained by crossing between four or five species, followed by selection: 'Grandiflorus', 'Primulines' and 'Nanus'. They can make very good cut flowers for display.
The majority of the species in this genus are diploid with 30 chromosomes (2n=30) but the Grandiflora hybrids are tetraploid and possess 60 chromosomes (2n=4x=60). This is because the main parental species of these hybrids is Gladiolus dalenii which is also tetraploid and includes a wide range of varieties (like the Grandiflora hybrids).
Gallery
Cultivation
In temperate zones, the corms of most species and hybrids should be lifted in autumn and stored over winter in a frost-free place, then replanted in spring. Some species from Europe and high altitudes in Africa, as well as the small 'Nanus' hybrids, are much hardier (to at least ) and can be left in the ground in regions with sufficiently dry winters. 'Nanus' is hardy to Zones 5–8. The large-flowered types require moisture during the growing season, and must be individually staked as soon as the sword-shaped flower heads appear. The leaves must be allowed to die down naturally before lifting and storing the corms. Plants are propagated either from small cormlets produced as offsets by the parent corms, or from seed. In either case, they take several years to get to flowering size. Clumps should be dug up and divided every few years to keep them vigorous.
They are affected by thrips, (thrip simplex), and wasps Dasyproctus bipunctatus, which burrow into the flowers causing them to collapse and die.
Numerous garden cultivars have been developed, of which ‘Robinetta’ (a G. recurvus hybrid), with pink flowers, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
In culture
Gladiolus is the birth flower of August.
Gladioli are the flowers associated with a fortieth wedding anniversary.
American Ragtime composer Scott Joplin composed a rag called “Gladiolus Rag”
"Gladiolus" was the word Frank Neuhauser correctly spelled to win the 1st National Spelling Bee in 1925.
The Australian comedian and personality Dame Edna Everage's signature flowers were gladioli, which she referred to as "gladdies".
The ancient Graeco-Roman god Pluto was said to wear a wreath of what is traditionally identified as a type of Gladiolus, called phasganion or xiphion in Koine Greek.
The Mancunian singer Morrissey is known to dance with gladioli hanging from his back pocket or in his hands, especially during the era of The Smiths. This trait of his was made known in the music video for "This Charming Man", where he swung a bunch of yellow gladioli while singing.
Species
The genus Gladiolus contains about 300 species, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families had over 276 species in 1988 it accepted 300 species.
There are 260 species of Gladiolus endemic to southern Africa, and 76 in tropical Africa.
About 10 species are native to Eurasia.
The genus Gladiolus has been divided into many sections. Most species, however, are only tentatively placed.
Gladiolus abbreviatus Andrews
Gladiolus abyssinicus (Brongn. ex Lem.) B.D.Jacks.
Gladiolus actinomorphanthus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal
Gladiolus acuminatus F.Bolus
Gladiolus aequinoctialis Herb.
Gladiolus alatus L. (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus albens Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus amplifolius Goldblatt
Gladiolus anatolicus (Boiss.) Stapf
Gladiolus andringitrae Goldblatt
Gladiolus angustus L. (sect. Blandus) – long-tubed painted lady
Gladiolus antakiensis A.P.Ham.
Gladiolus antandroyi Goldblatt
Gladiolus appendiculatus G.Lewis
Gladiolus aquamontanus Goldblatt & Vlok
Gladiolus arcuatus Klatt
Gladiolus atropictus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus atropurpureus Baker
Gladiolus atroviolaceus Boiss.
Gladiolus attilae Kit Tan
Gladiolus aurantiacus Klatt
Gladiolus aureus Baker – golden gladiolus
Gladiolus balensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus baumii Harms
Gladiolus bellus C. H. Wright
Gladiolus benguellensis Baker (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus bilineatus G. J. Lewis
Gladiolus blommesteinii L.Bolus
Gladiolus bojeri (Baker) Goldblatt
Gladiolus bonaespei Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus boranensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus brachyphyllus Bolus f.
Gladiolus brevifolius Jacq. (sect. Linearifolius)
Gladiolus brevitubus G. Lewis
Gladiolus buckerveldii (L. Bolus) Goldblatt
Gladiolus bullatus Thunb. ex G. Lewis – Caledon bluebell.
Gladiolus caeruleus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus calcaratus G. Lewis
Gladiolus calcicola Goldblatt
Gladiolus canaliculatus Goldblatt
Gladiolus candidus (Rendle) Goldblatt
Gladiolus cardinalis Curtis (sect. Blandus)
Gladiolus carinatus Aiton – occurring in Darling, South Africa, and locally called the "blou pypie" ("blue pipe")
Gladiolus carmineus C. H. Wright (sect. Blandus) – cliff lily
Gladiolus carneus F.Delaroche (sect. Blandus) – large painted lady
Gladiolus caryophyllaceus (Burm. f.) Poiret
Gladiolus cataractarum Oberm.
Gladiolus caucasicus Herb.
Gladiolus ceresianus L. Bolus
Gladiolus chelamontanus Goldblatt
Gladiolus chevalierianus Marais
Gladiolus communis L. (sect. Gladiolus) – common cornflag, (type species)
Gladiolus comptonii G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus crassifolius Baker
Gladiolus crispulatus L. Bolus
Gladiolus cruentus T. Moore (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus cunonius (L.) Gaertn.
Gladiolus curtifolius Marais
Gladiolus curtilimbus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus cylindraceus G. Lewis
Gladiolus dalenii (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus davisoniae F.Bolus
Gladiolus debeerstii De Wild.
Gladiolus debilis Ker Gawler (sect. Homoglossum) – small painted lady
Gladiolus decaryi Goldblatt
Gladiolus decoratus Baker
Gladiolus delpierrei Goldblatt
Gladiolus densiflorus Baker
Gladiolus deserticola Goldblatt
Gladiolus dichrous (Bullock) Goldblatt
Gladiolus diluvialis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus dolichosiphon Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus dolomiticus Oberm.
Gladiolus dzavakheticus Eristavi
Gladiolus ecklonii Lehm.
Gladiolus elliotii Baker (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus emiliae L. Bolus
Gladiolus engysiphon G. Lewis
Gladiolus equitans Thunb. (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus erectiflorus Baker
Gladiolus exiguus G. Lewis
Gladiolus exilis G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus fenestratus Goldblatt
Gladiolus ferrugineus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus filiformis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus flanaganii Baker – suicide gladiolus
Gladiolus flavoviridis Goldblatt
Gladiolus floribundus Jacq.
Gladiolus fourcadei (L.Bolus) Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus geardii L. Bolus
Gladiolus goldblattianus Geerinck
Gladiolus gracilis Jacq. (sect. Homoglossum) – reed bells
Gladiolus gracillimus Baker
Gladiolus grandiflorus Andrews (sect. Blandus)
Gladiolus grantii Baker
Gladiolus gregarius Welw. ex Baker (sect. Densiflorus)
Gladiolus griseus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus gueinzii Kunze
Gladiolus gunnisii (Rendle) Marais
Gladiolus guthriei F. Bol. (sect. Linearifolius)
Gladiolus hajastanicus Gabrieljan
Gladiolus halophilus Boiss. & Heldr.
Gladiolus harmsianus Vaupel
Gladiolus hirsutus Jacq. (sect. Linearifolius) – small pink Afrikaner, lapmuis
Gladiolus hollandii L. Bolus
Gladiolus horombensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus huillensis (Welw. ex Baker) Goldblatt
Gladiolus humilis Stapf
Gladiolus huttonii (N.E.Br.) Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus hyalinus Jacq.
Gladiolus illyricus W.D.J.Koch – wild gladiolus
Gladiolus imbricatus L.
Gladiolus inandensis Baker
Gladiolus inflatus Thunb.
Gladiolus inflexus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus insolens Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus intonsus Goldblatt
Gladiolus invenustus G. J. Lewis
Gladiolus involutus D.Delaroche (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus iroensis (A. Chev.) Marais
Gladiolus italicus P. Mill. (sect. Gladiolus) – Italian gladiolus, cornflag
Gladiolus jonquilodorus Eckl. ex G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus juncifolius Goldblatt
Gladiolus kamiesbergensis G. 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 Bolus f.
Gladiolus liliaceus Houtt. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus linearifolius Vaupel
Gladiolus lithicola Goldblatt
Gladiolus longicollis Baker (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus longispathaceus Cufod.
Gladiolus loteniensis Hilliard & Burtt
Gladiolus lundaensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus luteus Lam.
Gladiolus macneilii Oberm.
Gladiolus maculatus Sweet
Gladiolus magnificus (Harms) Goldblatt
Gladiolus malvinus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus manikaensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus mariae van der Burgt
Gladiolus marlothii G. Lewis
Gladiolus martleyi L. Bolus (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus meliusculus (G. Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus melleri Baker (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus menitskyi Gabrieljan
Gladiolus mensensis (Schweinf.) Goldblatt
Gladiolus meridionalis G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus metallicola Goldblatt
Gladiolus micranthus Baker, 1901
Gladiolus microcarpus G. Lewis
Gladiolus microspicatus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus miniatus Eckl.
Gladiolus mirus Vaupel
Gladiolus monticola G. Lewis ex Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus mosambicensis Baker
Gladiolus mostertiae L. Bolus
Gladiolus muenzneri F. Vaup
Gladiolus murgusicus Mikheev
Gladiolus murielae Kelway (syn. G. callianthus) – Abyssinian gladiolus
Gladiolus mutabilis G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus negeliensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus nerineoides G. Lewis
Gladiolus nigromontanus Goldblatt
Gladiolus nyasicus Goldblatt
Gladiolus oatesii Rolfe
Gladiolus ochroleucus Baker (sect. Densiflorus)
Gladiolus oliganthus Baker
Gladiolus oligophlebius Baker
Gladiolus oppositiflorus Herbert (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus orchidiflorus Andrews (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus oreocharis Schltr.
Gladiolus ornatus Klatt
Gladiolus overbergensis Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus palustris Gaudin – marsh gladiolus
Gladiolus papilio Hook. f. (sect. Densiflorus) – goldblotch gladiolus
Gladiolus pappei Baker (sect. Blandus)
Gladiolus pardalinus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus parvulus Schltr.
Gladiolus patersoniae Bolus f.
Gladiolus pauciflorus Baker ex Oliv.
Gladiolus pavonia Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus permeabilis Delaroche (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus perrieri Goldblatt
Gladiolus persicus Boiss.
Gladiolus phoenix Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus pole-evansii Verd.
Gladiolus praecostatus Marais
Gladiolus pretoriensis Kuntze
Gladiolus priorii (N. E. Br.) Goldblatt & De Vos
Gladiolus pritzelii Diels
Gladiolus puberulus Vaupel
Gladiolus pubigerus G. Lewis
Gladiolus pulcherrimus (G. Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus pungens P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus pusillus Goldblatt
Gladiolus quadrangularis (Burm. f.) Ker Gawler
Gladiolus quadrangulus (Delaroche) Barnard
Gladiolus recurvus L. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus reginae Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus rehmannii Baker
Gladiolus rhodanthus J.C.Manning & Goldblatt
Gladiolus richardsiae Goldblatt
Gladiolus robertsoniae Bolus f.
Gladiolus robiliartianus P.A.Duvign.
Gladiolus rogersii Baker
Gladiolus roseolus Chiov.
Gladiolus roseovenosus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus rubellus Goldblatt
Gladiolus rudis Lichtst. ex Roem. & Schult.
Gladiolus rufomarginatus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus rupicola F. Vaupel
Gladiolus saccatus (Klatt) Goldblatt & M.P. de Vos
Gladiolus salmoneicolor P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal ex S.Córdova
Gladiolus salteri G. Lewis
Gladiolus saundersii Hook. f. – Saunders' gladiolus, Lesotho lily
Gladiolus saxatilis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus scabridus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus schweinfurthii Baker
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 somalensis Goldblatt & Thulin
Gladiolus speciosus Thunb.
Gladiolus splendens (Sweet) Herbert
Gladiolus stefaniae Oberm.
Gladiolus stellatus G. Lewis
Gladiolus stenolobus Goldblatt
Gladiolus stenosiphon Goldblatt
Gladiolus stokoei G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus subcaeruleus G. Lewis
Gladiolus sudanicus Goldblatt
Gladiolus sufflavus (G. Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus sulculatus Goldblatt
Gladiolus symonsii F.Bolus
Gladiolus szovitsii Grossh.
Gladiolus taubertianus Schltr.
Gladiolus tenuis M. Bieb.
Gladiolus teretifolius Goldblatt & De Vos
Gladiolus trichonemifolius Ker Gawl. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus triphyllus (Sm.) Ker Gawl.
Gladiolus tristis L. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus tshombeanus P.A.Duvign. & Van Bockstal
Gladiolus uitenhagensis Goldblatt & Vlok
Gladiolus undulatus L. (sect. Blandus) – large white Afrikaner, wall gladiolus
Gladiolus unguiculatus Baker
Gladiolus usambarensis Marais ex Goldblatt
Gladiolus uysiae L. Bolus ex G. Lewis
Gladiolus vaginatus Bolus f. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus vandermerwei (L. Bolus) Goldblatt & De Vos
Gladiolus variegatus (G.J.Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus varius Bolus f.
Gladiolus velutinus De Wild.
Gladiolus venustus G. Lewis (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus verdickii De Wild. & T.Durand
Gladiolus vernus Oberm.
Gladiolus vigilans Barnard
Gladiolus vinosomaculatus Kies
Gladiolus violaceolineatus G.J.Lewis
Gladiolus virescens Thunb. (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus virgatus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus viridiflorus G. Lewis
Gladiolus watermeyeri L.Bolus (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus watsonioides Baker – Mackinder's gladiolus
Gladiolus watsonius Thunb. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus wilsonii (Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
Gladiolus woodii Baker
Gladiolus zambesiacus Baker
Gladiolus zimbabweensis Goldblatt
Known hybrids include:
Gladiolus × colvillii (G. cardinalis × G. tristis): Colville's gladiolus
Gladiolus × gandavensis (G. dalenii × G. oppositiflorus) (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus × hortulanus
References
Bibliography
G. R. Delpierre and N. M. du Plessis (1974). The winter-growing Gladioli of Southern Africa. Tafelberg-Uitgewers Beperk 120 colour photographs and descriptions.
Peter Goldblatt (1996). A monograph of the genus Gladiolus in tropical Africa (83 species). Timber Press
Peter Goldblatt, J. C. Manning (1998). Gladiolus in southern Africa: Systematics, Biology, and Evolution, including 144 watercolor paintings. Cape Town: Fernwood Press.
External links
Taxonomy of Gladiolus in GBIF Biodiversity Data Portal
Cormous plants
Garden plants
Iridaceae genera