Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

254 IRIDACEAE
Habitat and
distribution
Gladiolus abyssinicus
Description
yellow; perianth tube in lower part slender and erect, 20–25 mm
long, expanding and curved outward into a cylindrical, more or less
horizontal upper part c. 15 mm long; tepals unequal, dorsal largest,
32–35 × 20–22 mm, upper and lower laterals slightly shorter and
lower tepals reduced. Filaments 27–35 mm long, exserted 12–15
mm from tube.. Style arched over stamens, dividing just beyond
apices of anthers, branches c. 4 mm long, strongly expanded above
when unfolded. Capsules broadly ovoid, 10–14 mm long.
It grows in the highlands, in moist habitats, streams and
wet rocks between 2400 and 4000 m in Bale and Gamo
Gofa floristic regions. It is not known anywhere else. The
main flowering period is from July to October.
11. Gladiolus abyssinicus (Brongn. ex Lemaire)
Goldblatt & de Vos
The specific epithet ‘abyssinicus‘ refers to the former
name of Ethiopia, Abyssinia where the original collection
was made. The species was validly published in 1845 as
Antholyza abyssinica by Lemaire (ba sed on the work of
Brongnart) from a plant collected on Mt Solloda, near
Adwa in Tigray by Quartin­Dillon. The name was transferred
to the genus Gladiolus by Gold blatt and de Vos in
1989.
The species is recognised from related species in
Ethiopia by the dorsal tepal which is about twice as long
as the upper lateral tepals and the lower three tepals
reduced to short cusps.
Plant 45–65 cm high. Corm 15–25 mm in diameter. Foliage leaves
5–6, lower 4–5 more or less basal and largest, upper 1–2 cauline and
reduced, narrowly lanceolate to nearly linear, reaching at least to
base of spike, sometimes slightly exceeding it, 7–15 mm at widest
part. Stem sometimes with 1 branch, usually 3–4 mm in diameter
at base of spike. Spike 8-12 flowered. Flowers red on upper three
tepals, greenish tipped yellow on lower, throat and perianth tube
yellowish; tube 27–32 mm long, lower part slender and erect c.15
m long, expanding and gradually curved outward into a cylindrical,
more or less horizontal upper part, 12–16 mm long; tepals very
unequal, dorsal, extended nearly horizontally, (20–)24–35(–40) mm
long, up to 14 mm wide, upper laterals directed forward, lanceolate,
12–20 × 12 mm lower tepals reduced, laterals lanceolate, 8–15 mm
long, lowermost nearly 6–12 mm long. Filaments 25–30 mm long,
exserted for up to 1–5 mm. Style dividing near to or slightly beyond
apices of anthers, branches c. 4 mm long, much expanded in upper
half. Capsules obovoid­ellipsoid, 10–12 mm long.