S. I. Ali & Brian Mathew

Perennial herb, corms symmetrical, enclosed by several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics. Lowest leaf reduced to a cataphyll; cauline leaves 2-many, ensiform, vaginate, equitant. Inflorescence a one-sided spike, many flowered, each flower subtended by 2-valved spathe. Perianth zygomorphic, gamophyllous, infundibular hypanthial tube present, 3 upper segments larger than 3 lower. Stamens 3, filaments adnate to hypanthial tube, anthers included. Style branches 3, each spathulate with decurrent stigma. Ovary 3-locular. Capsule loculicidal, many seeded.

A genus with c. 180 species (Mabberley, The Plant-book, 1987) distributed in West and Central Europe, Mediterranean to Southwest and Central Asia, Tropical and South Africa.

Lower Taxon

• Gladiolus italicus Miller