A lovely White with a hint of Yellow Gladiolus

A lovely White with a hint of Yellow Gladiolus at a beautiful botanical garden. Below is a little info on this pretty thing. Enjoy... more

by Kim Pate

Title

A lovely White with a hint of Yellow Gladiolus

Artist

Kim Pate

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Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

"A lovely White with a hint of Yellow Gladiolus" at a beautiful botanical garden. Below is a little info on this pretty thing. Enjoy

The Sword Lily or, The Gladiolus
Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword) is a genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae). It is sometimes called the 'Sword lily', but usually by its generic name (plural gladioli, gladioluses, glads).
The genus is distributed in Mediterranean Europe, Asia, Tropical Africa and South Africa. The center of diversity of the genus is located in the Cape Floristic Region, where most species were discovered.The genera Oenostachys, Homoglossum, Anomalesia and Acidanthera, traditionally considered independent entities, currently are included in Gladiolus.
Description
The genus Gladiolus contains about 260 species, of which 250 are native to sub-Saharan Africa, mostly South Africa. About 10 species are native to Eurasia. There are 160 species of Gladiolus endemic in southern Africa and 76 in tropical Africa. 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 hybridization, selection, and perhaps more drastic manipulation.
Gladioli are half-hardy in temperate climates. They grow from rounded, 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 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. In their center must be noticeable the specific pellet-like structure which is the real seed without the fine coat. In some seeds this feature is wrinkled with black color. These seeds are unable to germinate.
These flowers are variously colored, pink to reddish or light purple with white, contrasting markings, or white to cream or orange to red.
The South African species were originally pollinated by long-tongued anthrophorine 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.
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 make very good cut flowers.
The majority of the species in this genus are diploid with 30 chromosomes but the Grandiflora hybrids are tetraploid and possess 60 chromosomes. This is because the main parental species of these hybrids is Gladiolus dalenii which is also tetraploid and includes a wide range of varieties.
Gladiolus acuminatus F.Bol.
Gladiolus aequinoctialis Herb.
Gladiolus alatus L. (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus aleppicus Boiss. var. aleppicus
Gladiolus anatolicus
Gladiolus andringitrae Goldblatt
Gladiolus angustus L. (sect. Blandus) : Long-tubed Painted Lady
Gladiolus antandroyi Goldblatt
Gladiolus antholyzoides Baker
Gladiolus appendiculatus G.Lewis
Gladiolus aquamontanus Goldblatt & Vlok
Gladiolus arcuatus Klatt
Gladiolus atropurpureus Baker
Gladiolus atroviolaceus Boiss.
Gladiolus aurantiacus Klatt
Gladiolus aureus Baker : Golden Gladiolus
Gladiolus bellus C. H. Wright
Gladiolus benguellensis Baker (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus bilineatus G. J. Lewis
Gladiolus boehmii Vaupel (1882)
Gladiolus bojeri (Baker) Goldblatt
Gladiolus brachylimbus Baker (1893)
Gladiolus brachyphyllus F. Bolus or 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
Gladiolus carmineus C. H. Wright (sect. Blandus) : Cliff Lily
Gladiolus carneus (sect. Blandus) : Large Painted Lady
Gladiolus caryophyllaceus (Burm. f.) Poiret
Gladiolus cataractarum Oberm.
Gladiolus caucasicus Herb.
Gladiolus ceresianus L. Bolus
Gladiolus citrinus Klatt
Gladiolus x colvillei : Colville's Gladiolus
Gladiolus communis L. (sect. Gladiolus) : Cornflag (type species) Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus (sect. Gladiolus) - Whistling Jack, Eastern Gladiolus
Gladiolus communis subsp. communis (sect. Gladiolus)
Gladiolus conrathii Baker (1898)
Gladiolus crassifolius Baker
Gladiolus crispulatus L. Bolus
Gladiolus cruentus T. Moore (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus curtifolius Marais
Gladiolus cuspidatus
Gladiolus cylindraceus G. Lewis
Gladiolus cymbarius Baker
Gladiolus dalenii Van Geel (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus debilis Ker Gawler (sect. Homoglossum) : Small Painted Lady
Gladiolus decaryi Goldblatt
Gladiolus decipiens Vaupel
Gladiolus decoratus Baker
Gladiolus delpierrei Goldblatt
Gladiolus densiflorus Baker
Gladiolus deserticolus Goldblatt
Gladiolus dolomiticus Oberm.
Gladiolus dracocephalus Hook.f.
Gladiolus dregei Klatt
Gladiolus dubius
Gladiolus dzavakheticus
Gladiolus ecklonii Lehm.
Gladiolus edulis Burchell ex Ker Gawler
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 flanaganii Baker : : Suicide Gladiolus
Gladiolus floribundus Jacq.
Gladiolus fourcadei (L.Bolus) Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos
Gladiolus ￿andavensis (sect. Ophiolyza) [= G. dalenii ￿'G. oppositiflorus]
Gladiolus garnierii Klatt
Gladiolus geardii L. Bolus
Gladiolus goetzii Harms
Gladiolus gracilis Jacq. (sect. Homoglossum) : Reed Bells
Gladiolus gracillimus Baker
Gladiolus grandiflorus (sect. Blandus)
Gladiolus gregarius Welw. ex Baker (sect. Densiflorus)
Gladiolus griseus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus gueinzii Kunze
Gladiolus guthriei F. Bol. (sect. Linearifolius)
Gladiolus halophilus Boiss. & Heldr.
Gladiolus harmsianus Vaupel
Gladiolus heterolobus Vaupel
Gladiolus hirsutus Jacq. (sect. Linearifolius) : Small Pink Afrikaner
Gladiolus hollandii L. Bolus
Gladiolus horombensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus huillensis (Welw. ex Baker) Goldblatt
Gladiolus hyalinus Jacq.
Gladiolus illyricus W.D.J.Koch - Wild Gladiolus
Gladiolus imbricatus L.
Gladiolus inandensis Baker
Gladiolus incospicuus 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 (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus iroensis (A. Chev.) Marais
Gladiolus italicus P. Mill. (sect. Gladiolus) - Italian Gladiolus, Cornflag
Gladiolus johnstoni Baker (s. d.)
Gladiolus jonquilliodorus Ecklon ex G. Lewis
Gladiolus junodi Baker
Gladiolus kamiesbergensis G. Lewis
Gladiolus karendensis Baker
Gladiolus katubensis De Wild.
Gladiolus klattianus Hutch.
Gladiolus kotschyanus Boiss.
Gladiolus kubangensis Harms
Gladiolus lapeirousioides Goldblatt
Gladiolus laxiflorus Baker
Gladiolus lemoinei
Gladiolus leptosiphon Bolus f.
Gladiolus liliaceus Houtt. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus linearifolius Vaupel
Gladiolus linearis N.E.Br.
Gladiolus longanus Harms
Gladiolus longicollis Baker (sect. Homoglossum) Gladiolus longicollis subsp. longicollis (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus longicollis subsp. platypetalus (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus loteniensis Hilliard & Burtt
Gladiolus louiseae L. Bolus
Gladiolus lundaensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus luteus Lam.
Gladiolus lyalinus
Gladiolus macneilii Oberm.
Gladiolus macowani Baker
Gladiolus macowanii Baker (s. d.)
Gladiolus macrospathus Goldblatt
Gladiolus maculatus Sweet
Gladiolus magnificus (Harms) Goldblatt
Gladiolus malangensis Baker (1879)
Gladiolus malvinus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus marlothii G. Lewis
Gladiolus martleyi L. Bolus (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus meliusculus (G. Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus melleri Baker (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus micranthus Baker (1901)
Gladiolus microcarpus G. Lewis
Gladiolus microsiphon Baker
Gladiolus milleri Ker Gawler
Gladiolus mirus Vaupel
Gladiolus monticola G. Lewis ex Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus mortonius (sect. Densiflorus)
Gladiolus mostertiae L. Bolus
Gladiolus muenzneri F. Vaup
Gladiolus murielae Kelway (syn. G. callianthus) ￿ Abyssinian Gladiolus
Gladiolus natalensis (Eckl.) Hook.
Gladiolus nerineoides G. Lewis
Gladiolus newii Baker
Gladiolus nigromontanus Goldblatt
Gladiolus niveus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus nyasicus Goldblatt
Gladiolus oatesii Rolfe
Gladiolus ochroleucus Baker (sect. Densiflorus)
Gladiolus odoratus L. Bolus
Gladiolus oliganthus Baker
Gladiolus oppositiflorus Herbert (sect. Ophiolyza)
Gladiolus orchidiflorus Andrews (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus oreocharis Schltr.
Gladiolus pallidus Baker
Gladiolus paludosus Baker
Gladiolus palustris : 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 F. Bolus or Bolus f.
Gladiolus pavonia Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus permeabilis Delaroche (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus perrieri Goldblatt
Gladiolus persicus Boiss.
Gladiolus pillansii G. Lewis
Gladiolus pole-evansii Verd.
Gladiolus praecostatus
Gladiolus praelongitubus G. J. Lewis
Gladiolus pretoriensis Kuntze
Gladiolus priorii (N. E. Br.) Goldblatt & De Vos
Gladiolus prismatosiphon Schltr.
Gladiolus pritzelii Diels
Gladiolus psittacinus Hook.
Gladiolus puberulus Vaupel
Gladiolus pubigerus G. Lewis
Gladiolus pulchellus Klatt
Gladiolus pulcherrimus (G. Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus punctulatus Schrank
Gladiolus pusillus Goldblatt
Gladiolus quadrangularis (Burm. f.) Ker Gawler
Gladiolus quadrangulus (Delaroche) Barnard
Gladiolus ramosus
Gladiolus recurvus (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus rehmannii Baker
Gladiolus remotifolius Baker
Gladiolus rigidifolius Baker
Gladiolus robertsoniae F. Bolus or Bolus f.
Gladiolus rogersii Baker
Gladiolus roseovenosus Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus rubellus Goldblatt
Gladiolus rudis Lichtst. ex Roem. & Schult.
Gladiolus rupicola F. Vaupel
Gladiolus saccatus (Klatt) Goldblatt & M.P. de Vos
Gladiolus salteri G. Lewis
Gladiolus saundersii Hook. f. : Saunders' Gladiolus, Lesotho Lily
Gladiolus schlechteri Baker
Gladiolus schweinfurthii Baker
Gladiolus scullyi Baker
Gladiolus serapiiflorus Goldblatt
Gladiolus serenjensis Goldblatt
Gladiolus sericeovillosus Hook. f.
Gladiolus serpenticola Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus somalensis Goldblatt & Thulin
Gladiolus speciosus Thunb.
Gladiolus spectabilis Baker (s. d.)
Gladiolus splendens ((Sweet)) Herbert
Gladiolus stefaniae Oberm.
Gladiolus stellatus G. Lewis
Gladiolus subcaeruleus G. Lewis
Gladiolus sufflavus (G. Lewis) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning
Gladiolus sulcatus Goldblatt
Gladiolus taubertianus Schltr.
Gladiolus tenellus Ecklon
Gladiolus tenuis M. Bieb.
Gladiolus teretifolius Goldblatt & De Vos
Gladiolus thomsonii Baker
Gladiolus trichonemifolius (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus tristis (sect. Homoglossum) Gladiolus tristis var. concolor (Salisb.) Baker : Ever-flowering Gladiolus
Gladiolus tritoniaeformis
Gladiolus tritoniiformis Kuntze
Gladiolus uitenhagensis Goldblatt & Vlok
Gladiolus undulatus L. (sect. Blandus) : Waved-flowered Gladiolus
Gladiolus unguiculatus Baker
Gladiolus usambarensis Marais ex Goldblatt
Gladiolus uysiae L. Bolus ex G. Lewis
Gladiolus vaginatus F. Bolus or Bolus f. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus validissimus Vaupel
Gladiolus vandermerwei (L. Bolus) Goldblatt & De Vos
Gladiolus varius F. Bolus or Bolus f.
Gladiolus velutinus De Wild.
Gladiolus venustus G. Lewis (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus vernus Oberm.
Gladiolus vinoso-maculatus Kies
Gladiolus violaceo-lineatus G. Lewis
Gladiolus virescens Thunb. (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus viridiflorus G. Lewis
Gladiolus viridis Aiton
Gladiolus watermeyeri (sect. Hebea)
Gladiolus watsonioides Baker : Mackinder's gladiolus
Gladiolus watsonius Thunb. (sect. Homoglossum)
Gladiolus woodii Baker
Gladiolus zimbabweensis Goldblatt
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 -15￿F/-26￿C) 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. [Citation needed]
The varieties G. communis byzantinus and G. murielae have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
In culture
The Manchurian 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.
The Australian comedian and personality Dame Edna Everage's signature flowers are gladioli, which she refers to as "glads".
Gladioli are the flowers associated with a fortieth wedding anniversary.

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July 6th, 2013