Gladiolus

About 260, see text

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Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword), sometimes called the sword lily, is a genus of flowering plants, iris family (Iridaceae).

Related Topics:
Latin - Diminutive - Sword - Genus - Flowering plant - Iridaceae

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The genus Gladiolus contains about 260 species, of which 250 are growing in sub-Saharan Africa, mostly South Africa. About 10 species are growing in Eurasia. There are 160 species of Gladiolus endemic in southern Africa and 76 in tropical Africa. The species vary from very small to the spectacular giant flower spikes in commerce.

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These very attractive, perennial herbs are semihardy in temperate climates. They are commonly grown from rounded, symmetrical corms, that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics.

Related Topics:
Climate - Corm

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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.

Related Topics:
Stem - Leaves

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The fragrant 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.

Related Topics:
Flower - Bract - Sepal - Petal - Stamen - Perianth

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The ovary is 3-locular with oblong or globose capsules, containing many, winged brown, longitudinally dehiscent seeds.

Related Topics:
Ovary - Capsule - Seed

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These flowers are variously colored, pink to reddish or light purple with white, contrasting markings, or white to cream or orange to red.

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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 sphingid moths, long-tongued flies and several others.

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They make very good cut flowers. However, due to their height, the cultivated forms frequently tend to fall over in the wind if left on the plant.

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Gladioli (the plural form of the word) have been extensively hybridized and a wide range of ornamental flower colours are available from the many varieties. The main hybrid groups are obtained by crossing between four or five species, followed by selection: Grandiflorus, Primulines and Nanus.

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The stage character Dame Edna Everage, has adopted the gladiolus as her trademark flower; the flowers often appear in her publicity photos and stage appearances.

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