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Gladiolus carneus (Painted lady, White Afrikaner)
Witbergpypie [Afrikaans] Life
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Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
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> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales
> Family: Iridaceae > Genus:
Gladiolus
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Gladiolus carneus flowering in summer in
the Table Mountain National Park, southern Cape Peninsula, South Africa. [photo
Colin Paterson-Jones ©] |
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Gladiolus carneus flowering in summer among
restios in the Table Mountain National Park, southern Cape Peninsula,
South Africa. [photo
Colin Paterson-Jones ©] |
Gladiolus carneus. [photo
H.G.
Robertson, Iziko ©] |
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Information from Goldblatt and Manning (1998).
Distribution and habitat
Endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa. Within this
province it occurs in the southern regions from Cape Town to the Outeniqua
Mountains (north of Knysna), and as far north as Bain's Kloof, and the
Witsenberg and Skurweberg complex north of Ceres. Occurs on the lower slopes,
growing in either shale or sandstone derived soils, but always in fynbos or on
forest margins. Flowers particularly well after a fire or bush clearing.
Life cycle
- A geophyte, with corms measuring 15-20 mm in diameter.
- Flowers from October to mid-November, sometimes later.
- Seeds are oblong, measuring 7-9 mm long by 5-6 mm wide, broadly and
evenly winged.
Ecological interactions
Pollinators
- Long-tongued flies (Diptera). Gladiolus carneus flowers has
typical characteristics of flowers pollinated by long-tongued flies: (1) the
flowers are pale pink to cream with linear reddish markings, and (2) the
nectar has a moderately high sugar concentration, with sucrose dominating
over glucose and fructose. Two species have been recorded as pollinators:
Meaning of name
carneus means flesh-coloured in Latin, referring to
the colour of the flowers.
Publications
- Goldblatt P. and Manning J. 1998. Gladiolus in Southern Africa.
Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg, Cape Town.
Text by Hamish Robertson |
