Gladiolus Studies — I 



141 



G. cuspidatus Jacq. (Tall Gladiolus), a 

 native of Cape Colony, was introduced 

 more than a centur\" ago. The conns 

 are small, being less than three-fourths 

 of an inch in diameter. The three leaves 

 are narrow, flat, and rigid. The stem 

 is from two to three feet long. The 

 flowers var\- from four to eight in 

 number. The segments are shorter than 

 the tube, and generally waved. The 

 upper segments are broadest ; the upper- 

 most one is nearly straight, but is 

 recur\-ed at the end. The color, accord- 

 ing to Baker, is white or pale pink, with 

 a spade-shaped blotch on each of the 

 three lower segments. The plate in 

 Ctirtis's Botanical Magazine for 1802 

 (Ker, 1 749-182 5. tab. 5S2) shows a 

 yellowish white flower, with blotches of 

 red. white center, and margins of purple ; 

 the anthers are shown as blue. The 

 flowers appear in May. This species 

 was introduced into Europe in 1785. 



G. dracocephalus Hook. f. (Dragon's 

 Head Gladiolus), a Xatal species, was 

 introduced by Wilson Saimders and 

 flowered at Reigate, England, in August, 

 1S70. It was discovered by Cooper in 

 that part of Xatal west of the Drach- 

 enberg Mountains. The flowers are 

 yellow-green closely striped with dull 

 purple-red on the upper segments, and 

 bright green spotted with purple on the 

 lower segments, which are much smaller 

 and are recur\-ed. The two outer seg- 

 ments are wing-hke with recur\-ed tips; 

 the upper segment is arched and hooded. 

 The stem is one and one-half feet high, 

 bearing from five to seven flowers. This 

 species has been used in crossing with 

 G. gandavettsis and G. Lemoinei. 



Fig. 9. GL.ADIOLUS DRACOCEPH.\LUS 



