Gladiolus bullatus (Caledon bell)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales > Family: Iridaceae > Genus: Gladiolus

Gladiolus bullatus, Kogelberg Biosphere Nature Reserve, Kleinmond, Western Cape, South Africa. [photos H.G. Robertson, Iziko ©]

Information is from Goldblatt and Manning (1998).

Distribution and habitat

Endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa, with a distribution from Houw Hoek and Kogelberg in the west to Bredasdorp and Potberg (near Cape Infanta) in the east. Grows in low-growing fynbos vegetation, mainly in stony sandstone-derived soils, but also on limestone outcrops.

Life cycle

• A geophyte, with corms measuring 10-20 mm in diameter.
• Flowers from mid-August to mid-September.
• Seeds ovate, pointed at one end, measuring 4-5 mm long by 3 mm wide, broadly and evenly winged.

Ecological interactions

On the basis of flower structure and colour, flowers are probably pollinated by long-tongued bees, but there are no observations to support this.

Meaning of name

bullatus means bubble-like in Latin and refers to the inflated, round shape of the flowers.

Publications

• Goldblatt P. and Manning J. 1998. Gladiolus in Southern Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg, Cape Town.

Text by Hamish Robertson