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Gladiolus cunonius (Lepelblom)
Lepelblom [Afrikaans] Life
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> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales
> Family: Iridaceae > Genus:
Gladiolus
Information from Goldblatt and Manning (1998).
Distribution and habitat
Endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa, where it has a
coastal distribution extending from Saldanha Bay on the West Coast, round the
Cape Peninsula, to Knysna in the east. Plants grow in coarse coastal sands in
open areas among coastal scrub, often just above high water mark or on vegetated
sand dunes a short distance inland.
Life cycle
- A geophyte, with small corms, measuring 6-9 mm in diameter. Numerous
stolons (slender root-like processes) arise from the base of the corms at
the end of which are cormlets (small corms) - thus this plant has an
efficient means of spreading other than through seed and this means of
reproduction also probably spreads the risk in terms of predation of corms
by
molerats.
- Flowers from September to mid-November.
- Seeds are ovate to oblong, 7-8 mm long by 5 mm wide, broadly and evenly
winged.
Ecological interactions
Pollinators
- Birds
-
Cinnyris chalybeus (Southern double-collared sunbird, Lesser
double-collared sunbird). Appears to be the sole pollinator of
Gladiolus cunonius.
Derivation of names
- cunonius - named after an 18th century Dutch botanist, J.C. Cuno.
- Lepelblom is the Afrikaans name for this plant and it has been adopted
in English as well. It means "spoon flower" and refers to the shape of the
dorsal tepal.
Publications
- Goldblatt P. and Manning J. 1998. Gladiolus in Southern Africa.
Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg, Cape Town.
Text by Hamish Robertson |
