Quick Characteristics:
| Flower Colors: | pink |
| Climate: | summer rain climate |
Gladiolus mortonius Herb. (formerly Gladiolus ochroleucus var. macowanii (Baker) Oberm.) is a summer rainfall Eastern Cape species that grows in open stony grassland. Although it resembles Gladiolus ochroleucus, it has a longer tube (30 to 45 mm versus 15-20 mm) and more strongly thickened midrib and leaf margins. The long-tubed pink flowers face to one side and have reddish streaks on the lower tepals. It is a gorgeous little gladiolus that grows successfully in a pot, producing flower stems around 8-9 inches (20-25 cm) tall, with comparatively large flowers that face slightly downwards. The photo (face) is taken upwards into the flower to show detail. The first three photos by Paul Tyerman show plants that have had a succession of flowers from late February (in Australia) and with a new spike in mid April just as the last of the previous flowers faded.
The photos below were taken in the Eastern Cape by Cameron McMaster February 2008. The first was taken at Andriesberg and the last two at Cathcart.
