Gladiolus punctuata

Reliable information on Gladiolus punctatus (sometimes spelled 'punctuata'), a South African species described among others from the Du Toitskloof range in the Western Cape, remains limited and could not be fully confirmed; the description below therefore draws mainly on the general characters of the genus in that region. South African Cape gladioli are fibre-tunicated, cormous plants with sheathing, sword-shaped leaves, growing on rocky or sandy sandstone or granite slopes. They flower in spring, bearing a spike of irregular, funnel-shaped flowers in colours varying by species, often spotted or streaked with a contrasting hue. Grow in well-drained soil, in full sun, with dry summer dormancy.