Compilation
Gladiolus magnificus

Plants 80–140 cm high. Corms 2–3 cm in diameter, depressed globose; tunics of fine wiry straw-coloured fibres. Foliage leaves 5–7, the lower 4–5 basal and longer than the others, about half as long as the stem and reaching almost to the base of the spike, 6–9 mm wide, narrowly lanceolate, midrib and margins slightly thickened, the margins hardly raised; the upper leaves progressively smaller and with shorter blades, or the blades lacking and leaves sheathing only. Stem unbranched. Spike 6–15-flowered: bracts green, 2.5–3(3.5) cm long, the inner somewhat shorter than the outer. Flowers bright-red with yellow markings on the lower tepals and in the throat, the lower 3 tepals at least sometimes each with a dark red-purple blotch in the midline; perianth tube 25–30 mm long, narrow below, expanded near the top of the bracts and curving outward and nearly horizontal, c. 4 mm wide at the mouth; tepals very unequal, the uppermost 35–42 × 18–22 mm, larger than the others and hooded horizontal, the upper lateral tepals 13–15 mm long and broadly lanceolate, directed forwards, the apices curving outwards, the lower 3 tepals c. 10 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, more or less horizontal, or the lowermost recurving. Filaments 30–35 mm long, exserted c. 20 mm; anthers 12–17 mm long. Style dividing shortly below the apex of the anthers, style branches c. 3 mm long. Capsules unknown.