Chapter IV
Reading edition
Gladiolus Species.
The following list includes the most important Gladiolus species, as recognized by modern botanists. Many species formerly included in the genus Gladiolus are now correctly assigned to Acidanthera, Antholyza, Babiana, Freesia, Montbretia, Tritona and Watsonia. Most true Gladiolus species will hybridize together, under favorable opportunity, but all attempts to breed the above genera with Gladiolus, thus far, appear to have failed. The most important garden hybrids of Gladiolus, useful in breeding work, have been described in preceding chapters. An attempt is here made to note the height of each species, the season of bloom in the northern hemisphere, the native locality where known, and the approximate date of introduction to cultivation:
Gladiolus adlami, dull yellow with minute red spots, Transvaal, 1889.
" alatus, ¾ ft., scarlet, yellow, June, 1795.
" alatus algoensis, ¾ ft., orange, July, 1824.
" albidus, 1 ft., white, June, 1774.
" angustus, 2 ft., yellow, June, 1756.
" atroviolaceus, dark blue, purple, white, Palestine, 1889.
" blandus, 1½ ft., flesh, June, 1774.
" brachyandrus, 2 ft., scarlet, whitish, Zambesi Land, July, 1879.
" brevifolius, 1½ ft., pink, June, 1802.
" byzantinus, 2 ft., red, July, Turkey, 1629.
" campanulatus, 1½ ft., light purple, May, 1794.
" carneus, 2 ft., flesh, June, 1796.
" caucasicus, Caucasus, 1842.
" cochleatus, 1½ ft., white, red, March, 1829.
" Colvillei, 1½ ft., bright red marked with pale purple. Hybrid.
" Colvillei, alba, white.
" communis, 2 ft., red, South Europe, 1596, July.
" communis albus, 2 ft., white, June, South Europe.
" concolor, 1 ft., yellow, June, 1790.
" Cooperi, 3 ft., red, yellow, September, Natal, 1862.
" crispiflorus, various, July, 1842.
" cruentus, blood red, white, September, Natal, 1868.
" cuspidatus, 1½ ft., white, brown, May, 1795.
" debilis, 1½ ft, white, May.
" decoratus, 3 ft., scarlet, yellow, East Africa, 1890.
" dracocephalus, 2-¼ ft., greenish yellow with purple lines, Natal, 1871.
" Eckloni, 1 to 1½ ft., pinkish white, densely red spotted, Autumn, South Africa, 1862.
" edulis, 1½ ft., white, June, 1816.
" Elloni, white tipped with purple, 1890.
" festivus, pale rose, July, 1844.
" flexuosus, 1 ft., orange, June, 1825.
" floribundus, 1 ft., citron, July, 1788.
" Gandavensis, rich crimson, yellow, summer, hybrid.
" gracilis, 2 ft., blue, white, April, 1800.
" hastatus, 1 ft., flesh, May, 1846.
" hirsutus, 1½ ft., pink, June, 1795.
" hyalinus, 1 ft., yellow, red, June, 1825.
" imbricatus, 1 ft., red, June, Russia, 1820.
" involutus, 1½ ft., pink, June, 1757.
" Kirkii, 3 ft., rose, Grahamstown, 1890.
" Kotschyanus, light violet, Afghanistan and Persia.
" Leichtlini, scarlet, yellow, Transvaal, 1889.
" Mackinderii, 2 ft., red or yellow, 1905.
" Milleri, 1½ ft., violet, May, 1751.
" Mortonius, 1½ ft., white, 1837.
" namaquensis, ¾ ft., orange, June, 1800.
" natalensis, 4 ft., scarlet, yellow, August, Natal River, 1830.
" ochroleucus, Transvaal.
" oppositiflorus, April, Madagascar, 1843.
" papilio, 2 ft., purple, yellow, South Africa, 1866.
" permeabilis, ¾ ft., orange, June, 1825.
" primulinus, Primrose-yellow, East Africa, 1890.
" psittacinus, 3 ft., scarlet, yellow, S. E. Africa.
" pudibundus, 3 ft., rose, hybrid (G. blandus × G. Cardinalis).
" punctatus, greenish-yellow, brownish-purple, 1889.
" purpureo-auratus, yellow, purple, Natal, 1872.
" Quartinianus, 4 ft., yellow and red.
" recurvus, 2 ft., striped, May, 1758.
" Saundersii, scarlet, white, August, South Africa, 1871.
" segetum, 2 ft., purple, July, South Europe, 1596.
" sericeo-villosus, 3 ft., yellow, S. Africa, 1864.
" Salmoneus, 2 ft., bright salmon.
" tenellus, ¾ ft., yellow, June, 1825.
" tenuis, 1 ft., red, June, Tauria, 1823.
" trichonemifolius, 1½ ft., yellow, June, 1800.
" trimaculatus, 1 ft., red, white, June, 1794.
" tristis, 1 ft., brown, red, 1745.
" turicensis, Garden hybrid: G. Gandavensis × G. Saundersii.
" undulatus, 1 ft., pink, May, 1760.
" versicolor, 1½ ft., brown, June, 1794.
" vinulus, creamy white, feathered with crimson, 1888.
" viperatus, ½ ft., green, white, May, 1787.
" watsonioides, 1½ ft., scarlet, Mt. Kilimanjaro, 1887.