About Gladiolus patersoniae F.Bolus
Gladiolus patersoniae F.Bolus produces fragrant flowers from late winter to spring, with populations growing at lower altitudes flowering earlier. Flowers can be blue, greyish, white, or pink, and have a short corolla tube. A horizontal band of yellow, often outlined in a darker colour, crosses the three lower tepals. This species typically produces only three thin, cylindrical quill-shaped leaves. The uppermost leaves sheath most of the stem, while the grooved lowest leaf is the longest, and is at least as tall as the inflorescence. Its corm is rounded, small at about 2 cm across, and covered in a rough, fibrous tunic. The distribution of Gladiolus patersoniae runs from Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape, across the Little Karoo region, west to the alluvial gravel plains around Worcester in the Western Cape. Its range extends south into the Overberg region, reaching as far as the coast near Cape Infanta. This species most commonly grows in Fynbos vegetation, in rocky mountainous areas or exposed hill slopes. It is most often found in sandstone-derived sands, in regions that receive winter rainfall.
