Gladiolus rogersii 4199
Author: John Gilbert Baker (1834-1920)Family: Iridaceae Subfamily: Ixioideae Tribe: Ixieae
Genus: Gladiolus Section: Homoglossum Serie: Gracilis
English name: Riversdale Bluebell
Zone: South Africa
Description
Gladiolus rogersii is restricted to the cooler and wetter parts of the southern African winter-rainfall zone. Its range extends from the Agulhas Peninsula near Pearly Beach in the west along the coastal plain and through the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains of the southern Cape almost to Humansdorp. These plants only occur in rocky sites on south-facing slopes, whereas in the mountains and coastal plain to the south plants may grow in less sheltered places. The range of habitats in which Gladiolus rogersii occurs is unusual, although not without precedent in the genus. Plants seem to be as well adapted to well-drained sandstone slopes at elevations of up to 1000m as to limestone flats near the coast where they thrive under a completely different nutrient and soil pH regime. Plants from limestone habitats typically have more fibrotic leaves, often solidly oval or terete, and they often have the cataphylls and leaf sheaths mottled reddish or purple, features that may be related to the habitat. It is named in honor of the early collector of southern African plants, Rev. Moyle Rogers, who made the type collection.
Gladiolus rogersii Observed in South Africa by Christina (license)
Botanical Description
The plants are 30-50cm high. The corm is globose, 8-14mm in diameter. The tunics are usually of soft-textured layers of fine fibres, occasionally the fibres of medium texture, rarely coarse and claw-like below. The cataphylls are pale and membranous, the uppermost usually extending well above the ground and then uniformly purple, mottled purple and white, or dry and dark brown, sometimes minutely puberulous.
There are three or four leaves, rarely five, the lowermost or lower two are the longest, usually at least reaching the base of the spike or shortly exceeding it, sometimes half as long again as the spike. The blades are linear, rarely narrowly sword-shaped, 1.5-4mm wide, straight, soft-textured to somewhat wiry. The margins and midrib are lightly to heavily thickened, rarely more or less solidly terete, remaining leaves inserted on the stem well above the ground and progressively shorter above, sheathing for about half their length. The blades are like the basal. The margins of the sheathing parts of the upper two leaves are united below, or sometimes free to the base. The stem is erect below, flexed outward above the sheaths of the two upper leaves, thus inclined above, unbranched, circa 1.5mm in diameter below the spike.
The spike is inclined, occasionally 1-, usually 3-to 6-flowered. The bracts are green or lightly flushed with grey to purple above, diverging markedly from the axis. The outer is 15-22mm long, with transparent margins circa 2mm wide. The inner is similar but slightly smaller than the outer, minutely forked apically. The flowers are inflated and bell-like, pale to dark blue or purple, darker on the reverse of the upper tepals. The lower tepals are lightly spotted with purple in the lower half and with a transverse or median yellow to white mark outlined or surrounded with dark blue to purple in the upper third, usually lightly sweet-scented. The perianth tube is 12-19mm long, obliquely funnel-shaped, the lower half erect and cylindric. The upper half is bent at right angles and flaring outward. The tepals are unequal, the upper obovate, the lower spathulate. The dorsal is the largest, extending horizontally over the stamens, 20-30 x 16-26mm, upper laterals slightly shorter and extending forward, only slightly curving outward apically. The lower three are initially curving downward, then arched upward, the apices directed forward or downward, united for 5-9mm with the upper laterals. The free parts are 16-22 x 8-16mm, not clearly divided into a limb and claw, raised distally in the midline. The margins are curved upward, the apices broadly obtuse or emarginate, in profile exceeding the upper by circa 5mm. The filaments are 10-12mm long, exserted 5-8mm from the tube. The anthers are 5.5-9mm long, lying more or less horizontally, blue, the pollen cream.
The ovary is oblong, circa 3mm long. The style is arching over the stamens, dividing close to the anther apices, the branches circa 4mm long, extending beyond the anthers. The capsules and seeds are unknown.
There are three or four leaves, rarely five, the lowermost or lower two are the longest, usually at least reaching the base of the spike or shortly exceeding it, sometimes half as long again as the spike. The blades are linear, rarely narrowly sword-shaped, 1.5-4mm wide, straight, soft-textured to somewhat wiry. The margins and midrib are lightly to heavily thickened, rarely more or less solidly terete, remaining leaves inserted on the stem well above the ground and progressively shorter above, sheathing for about half their length. The blades are like the basal. The margins of the sheathing parts of the upper two leaves are united below, or sometimes free to the base. The stem is erect below, flexed outward above the sheaths of the two upper leaves, thus inclined above, unbranched, circa 1.5mm in diameter below the spike.
The spike is inclined, occasionally 1-, usually 3-to 6-flowered. The bracts are green or lightly flushed with grey to purple above, diverging markedly from the axis. The outer is 15-22mm long, with transparent margins circa 2mm wide. The inner is similar but slightly smaller than the outer, minutely forked apically. The flowers are inflated and bell-like, pale to dark blue or purple, darker on the reverse of the upper tepals. The lower tepals are lightly spotted with purple in the lower half and with a transverse or median yellow to white mark outlined or surrounded with dark blue to purple in the upper third, usually lightly sweet-scented. The perianth tube is 12-19mm long, obliquely funnel-shaped, the lower half erect and cylindric. The upper half is bent at right angles and flaring outward. The tepals are unequal, the upper obovate, the lower spathulate. The dorsal is the largest, extending horizontally over the stamens, 20-30 x 16-26mm, upper laterals slightly shorter and extending forward, only slightly curving outward apically. The lower three are initially curving downward, then arched upward, the apices directed forward or downward, united for 5-9mm with the upper laterals. The free parts are 16-22 x 8-16mm, not clearly divided into a limb and claw, raised distally in the midline. The margins are curved upward, the apices broadly obtuse or emarginate, in profile exceeding the upper by circa 5mm. The filaments are 10-12mm long, exserted 5-8mm from the tube. The anthers are 5.5-9mm long, lying more or less horizontally, blue, the pollen cream.
The ovary is oblong, circa 3mm long. The style is arching over the stamens, dividing close to the anther apices, the branches circa 4mm long, extending beyond the anthers. The capsules and seeds are unknown.
Member of
The Genus: Gladiolus Section: Homoglossum Serie: Gracilis having the following characters: Plants usually medium-sized, sometimes small. Corm globose to conic, often hard and woody, consisting of concentric layers fragmenting above and below, or coriaceous to fibrous, occasionally membranous. Cataphylls usually green above the ground, smooth or rarely minutely puberulous to scabrid, sometimes mottled with purple. Leaves two to four, superposed, the lowermost always longest and often sheathing the stem for some distance above the ground, in a few species the leaves of the flowering stem reduced but non-flowering plants producing long-bladed foliage leaves, the blades either linear, sometimes narrowly sword-shaped, or terete with four narrow or wide longitudinal grooves, the margins and midrib usually somewhat thickened and other veins not evident, sometimes the margins and midrib so thickened that the blade is cross-shaped in section, in a few species the margins raised into flat wings, or both midrib and margins not evident and the blade somewhat fleshy or leathery. Stem unbranched, usually flexed near the base of the spike.
Spike either flexed at the base and inclined or less often erect, usually flexuose, but straight in some species; bracts green throughout or flushed with grey to purple above. Flowers medium-sized to large, usually bilabiate, the lower tepals often narrow and clawed at the base, with nectar guides various but primitively consisting of dark longitudinal lines and spots over a paler background, sometimes consisting of pale transverse bands edged in dark colour or a dark median streak, scented in most species; perianth tube usually obliquely funnelshaped, sometimes tubular, half to twothirds as long as the dorsal tepal or much longer; tepals subequal or unequal, then the upper three broader but usually about as long as the lower, the dorsal largest, arching over the stamens, sometimes more or less horizontal, the lower three usually joined to the upper laterals and to one another for a short distance. Capsules oblong-ellipsoid; seeds fairly large, broadly and evenly winged, translucent light or dark brown.
A large section comprising 51 species, Homoglossum is almost entirely restricted to the winter-rainfall region of southern Africa. Only a handful of species occur outside the Cape Flora Region, and most of these extend only locally eastward to Grahamstown and East London. The exceptions are Gladiolus longicollis which extends from Oudtshoorn in the southern Cape to Northern Province, South Africa, and Swaziland, and the high Drakensberg endemic, G. symonsii.
The most common pollination system in section Homoglossum is that for longtongued bees. Nectar is the usual reward and both colour and scent fulfil the role of attracting insect visitors. Bees most often involved are species of Anthophora and Amegilla (Anthophoridae) or Apis mellifera (Apidae). Flowers are often shades of blue, or occasionally pink or even yellow, and the lower tepals have nectar guides consisting of dark spots or streaks on a pale background. A few species, including G. debilis, G. vigilans and G. virgatus (series Gracilis) and G. cylindraceus and G. engysiphon (series Teretifolius), have white or pale pink flowers with red markings and elongate perianthtubes. Pollination by long-tongued flies (Nemestrinidae or Tabanidae) has been confirmed for G. engysiphon, G. vigilans and G. virgatus. Again nectar, fairly large amounts of which are produced, is the reward offered to these flies. Moth pollination has arisen in some series, including G. recurvus (series Gracilis), G. albens and G. maculatus (series Mutabilis), and all except G. symonsii of series Tristis, which has specialized flowers producing scent only in the evening. Flowers adapted for moth pollination are often quite large, have long tubes, produce quantities of comparatively sweet nectar, and have heavy scents with a strong clove-like component. Flowers adapted for sunbird pollination occur in G. meridionalis and G. priorii (series Mutabilis) and series Homoglossum, but the syndrome has been poorly studied. Flowers of these species are red to orange, have elongate tubes which are wide and cylindric in the upper half, and they normally lack scent. In series Homoglossum the stems are thick and erect and the spikes straight, features associated with sunbird pollination.
We divide the section into seven informal series, all but one of which we believe are natural, that is, monophyletic alliances.
Hard woody corms tunics characterize most of the remaining species of section Homoglossum. Species of series Gracilis comprise two assemblages: the Gladiolus gracilis group, in which the margins of the leaf blades are raised into wings extending at right angles to the blade surface; and the G. debilis group, which all have flowers in shades of pink with dark, usually red, nectar guides.
Spike either flexed at the base and inclined or less often erect, usually flexuose, but straight in some species; bracts green throughout or flushed with grey to purple above. Flowers medium-sized to large, usually bilabiate, the lower tepals often narrow and clawed at the base, with nectar guides various but primitively consisting of dark longitudinal lines and spots over a paler background, sometimes consisting of pale transverse bands edged in dark colour or a dark median streak, scented in most species; perianth tube usually obliquely funnelshaped, sometimes tubular, half to twothirds as long as the dorsal tepal or much longer; tepals subequal or unequal, then the upper three broader but usually about as long as the lower, the dorsal largest, arching over the stamens, sometimes more or less horizontal, the lower three usually joined to the upper laterals and to one another for a short distance. Capsules oblong-ellipsoid; seeds fairly large, broadly and evenly winged, translucent light or dark brown.
A large section comprising 51 species, Homoglossum is almost entirely restricted to the winter-rainfall region of southern Africa. Only a handful of species occur outside the Cape Flora Region, and most of these extend only locally eastward to Grahamstown and East London. The exceptions are Gladiolus longicollis which extends from Oudtshoorn in the southern Cape to Northern Province, South Africa, and Swaziland, and the high Drakensberg endemic, G. symonsii.
The most common pollination system in section Homoglossum is that for longtongued bees. Nectar is the usual reward and both colour and scent fulfil the role of attracting insect visitors. Bees most often involved are species of Anthophora and Amegilla (Anthophoridae) or Apis mellifera (Apidae). Flowers are often shades of blue, or occasionally pink or even yellow, and the lower tepals have nectar guides consisting of dark spots or streaks on a pale background. A few species, including G. debilis, G. vigilans and G. virgatus (series Gracilis) and G. cylindraceus and G. engysiphon (series Teretifolius), have white or pale pink flowers with red markings and elongate perianthtubes. Pollination by long-tongued flies (Nemestrinidae or Tabanidae) has been confirmed for G. engysiphon, G. vigilans and G. virgatus. Again nectar, fairly large amounts of which are produced, is the reward offered to these flies. Moth pollination has arisen in some series, including G. recurvus (series Gracilis), G. albens and G. maculatus (series Mutabilis), and all except G. symonsii of series Tristis, which has specialized flowers producing scent only in the evening. Flowers adapted for moth pollination are often quite large, have long tubes, produce quantities of comparatively sweet nectar, and have heavy scents with a strong clove-like component. Flowers adapted for sunbird pollination occur in G. meridionalis and G. priorii (series Mutabilis) and series Homoglossum, but the syndrome has been poorly studied. Flowers of these species are red to orange, have elongate tubes which are wide and cylindric in the upper half, and they normally lack scent. In series Homoglossum the stems are thick and erect and the spikes straight, features associated with sunbird pollination.
We divide the section into seven informal series, all but one of which we believe are natural, that is, monophyletic alliances.
Hard woody corms tunics characterize most of the remaining species of section Homoglossum. Species of series Gracilis comprise two assemblages: the Gladiolus gracilis group, in which the margins of the leaf blades are raised into wings extending at right angles to the blade surface; and the G. debilis group, which all have flowers in shades of pink with dark, usually red, nectar guides.
References
References for the genus
- A note on N. E. Brown’s sub-division of the genus Antholyza Linn., E. Phillips. Bothalia 1941 Vol. 4(1) pag. 43-44. DOI
- A worldwide molecular phylogeny and classification of the leafy spurges, Euphorbia subgenus Esula (Euphorbiaceae), Riina, Ricarda and Peirson, Jess A. and Geltman, Dmitry V. and Molero, Julián and Frajman, Božo and Pahlevani, Amirhossein and Barres, Laia and Morawetz, Jeffery J. and Salmaki, Yasaman and Zarre, Shahin and Kryukov, Aleksey and Bruyns. Taxon 2013 Vol. 62(2) pag. 316-342. DOI
- Adaptive radiation of Bee-Pollinated Gladiolus Species (Iridaceae) in Southern Africa, Goldblatt, P., Manning, J. C., & Bernhardt, P. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 1998 Vol. 85(3) pag. 492–517. DOI
- An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Taita Hills, Eastern Arc Mountain. PhytoKeys 2022 Vol. 191 pag. 1-158. Address
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010. ISBN
- Gladiolus in Southern Africa, Peter Goldblatt & John Manning. 1998. ISBN
- Gladiolus in Tropical Africa: Systematics, Biology & Evolution, Peter Goldblatt. 1996. ISBN
- New species of Gladiolus (Iridaceae) from the southern Cape and the status of G. lewisiae, Goldblatt, P and Vlok, JHJ. South African Journal of Botany 1989 Vol. 55(2) pag. 259-264. Address
- Revisión taxonómica y aportaciones corológicas para el género Gladiolus L. (Iridaceae) en la Región de Murcia, José A. López Espinosa, Pedro Sánchez Gómez, Miguel A. Carrión Vilches, Antonio Hernández González &
Alberto González Benavente-García. https://revistas.um.es/analesbio/article/view/30821 2003. Link
- Saunders' Field Guide to Gladioli of South Africa, Rod Saunders, Rachel Saunders, Fiona C Ross, John C Manning & Peter Goldblatt. 2021. ISBN
- South African Gladiolus, Frans A. Stafleu. Taxon 1973 Vol. 22(4) pag. 470-472. JStor
- The genus Gladiolus (Iridaceae) in southern Transcaucasia, Eleonora Gabrielian. Bocconea 2001 Vol. 13 pag. 445-455. Address
- Three new species of Gladiolus (Iridaceae) from South Africa, a major range extension for G. rubellus and taxonomic notes for the genus in southern and tropical Africa, Peter Goldblatt & John C. Manning. Bothalia 2009. DOI
- Two new species of Gladiolus (Iridaceae: Ixioideae) from South Africa and notes on long-proboscid fly pollination in the genus, Manning, JC and Goldblatt, P and Winter, PJD. Bothalia 1999 Vol. 29(2) pag. 217-223. DOI
- Pacific Bulb Society. Address
- Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources: Plantation and Ornamental Crops. 2011 pag. 133-159. DOI
- A worldwide molecular phylogeny and classification of the leafy spurges, Euphorbia subgenus Esula (Euphorbiaceae), Riina, Ricarda and Peirson, Jess A. and Geltman, Dmitry V. and Molero, Julián and Frajman, Božo and Pahlevani, Amirhossein and Barres, Laia and Morawetz, Jeffery J. and Salmaki, Yasaman and Zarre, Shahin and Kryukov, Aleksey and Bruyns. Taxon 2013 Vol. 62(2) pag. 316-342. DOI
- Adaptive radiation of Bee-Pollinated Gladiolus Species (Iridaceae) in Southern Africa, Goldblatt, P., Manning, J. C., & Bernhardt, P. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 1998 Vol. 85(3) pag. 492–517. DOI
- An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Taita Hills, Eastern Arc Mountain. PhytoKeys 2022 Vol. 191 pag. 1-158. Address
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010. ISBN
- Gladiolus in Southern Africa, Peter Goldblatt & John Manning. 1998. ISBN
- Gladiolus in Tropical Africa: Systematics, Biology & Evolution, Peter Goldblatt. 1996. ISBN
- New species of Gladiolus (Iridaceae) from the southern Cape and the status of G. lewisiae, Goldblatt, P and Vlok, JHJ. South African Journal of Botany 1989 Vol. 55(2) pag. 259-264. Address
- Revisión taxonómica y aportaciones corológicas para el género Gladiolus L. (Iridaceae) en la Región de Murcia, José A. López Espinosa, Pedro Sánchez Gómez, Miguel A. Carrión Vilches, Antonio Hernández González &
Alberto González Benavente-García. https://revistas.um.es/analesbio/article/view/30821 2003. Link
- Saunders' Field Guide to Gladioli of South Africa, Rod Saunders, Rachel Saunders, Fiona C Ross, John C Manning & Peter Goldblatt. 2021. ISBN
- South African Gladiolus, Frans A. Stafleu. Taxon 1973 Vol. 22(4) pag. 470-472. JStor
- The genus Gladiolus (Iridaceae) in southern Transcaucasia, Eleonora Gabrielian. Bocconea 2001 Vol. 13 pag. 445-455. Address
- Three new species of Gladiolus (Iridaceae) from South Africa, a major range extension for G. rubellus and taxonomic notes for the genus in southern and tropical Africa, Peter Goldblatt & John C. Manning. Bothalia 2009. DOI
- Two new species of Gladiolus (Iridaceae: Ixioideae) from South Africa and notes on long-proboscid fly pollination in the genus, Manning, JC and Goldblatt, P and Winter, PJD. Bothalia 1999 Vol. 29(2) pag. 217-223. DOI
- Pacific Bulb Society. Address
- Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources: Plantation and Ornamental Crops. 2011 pag. 133-159. DOI
General specifications
Biological type: bulb
Frost resistance: 27ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: violet
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 1,9ft x 0,9ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h Foliage: deciduous in summer
Growth: fast
Flowering time from February until April
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand
Plant watering: 3x a week pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Bulbs; 2L forestry pot, 1L container, 25L high container, 145L wide cup
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 400-800mm
Gravelly soil: much
Sandy soil: much
Frost resistance: 27ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: violet
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 1,9ft x 0,9ft
Sun exposure: full sun (Sun hours: >6h Foliage: deciduous in summer
Growth: fast
Flowering time from February until April
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand
Plant watering: 3x a week pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Bulbs; 2L forestry pot, 1L container, 25L high container, 145L wide cup
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 400-800mm
Gravelly soil: much
Sandy soil: much
Sowing instructions
AUTUMN After harvesting the seeds, keep dry for 8weeks at room temperature then keep dry in the fridge at 4°C until sowing. Soak the seeds in ambient water for 12h with a SmokeDisk. Sow the seeds at 5mm depth in the Bulb Substrate between 64-72°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and in daylight.
The viability of the seeds, kept under good conditions, is 3 years.
Germination references for the genus
- Response of gladiolus (Gladiolus spp) plants after exposure corms to chitosan and hot water treatments, Margarita Ramos-García, Salvador Ortega-Centeno, Ana N. Hernández-Lauzardo, Irán Alia-Tejacal, Elsa Bosquez-Molina & Silvia Bautista-Baños. Scientia Horticulturae 2009 Vol. 121(4) pag. 480-484. DOI
The viability of the seeds, kept under good conditions, is 3 years.
Germination references for the genus
- Response of gladiolus (Gladiolus spp) plants after exposure corms to chitosan and hot water treatments, Margarita Ramos-García, Salvador Ortega-Centeno, Ana N. Hernández-Lauzardo, Irán Alia-Tejacal, Elsa Bosquez-Molina & Silvia Bautista-Baños. Scientia Horticulturae 2009 Vol. 121(4) pag. 480-484. DOI
Experiences in the garden
15-09-16A Obtaining seeds from seed provider Exotic Plants.
15-09-16 Send a batch to nursery Issa, they did not geminate.
10-04-18A Obtaining 1 plants from nursery Issa
19-05-20 1x Dead plant during the seedling phase.
06-06-25B Obtaining seeds from seed provider Seeds and All. Stock