Gladiolus caryophyllaceusCommon name: Wild Gladiolus
Meaning of name: Unknown
Distribution: Occurs in disturbed sites from Cataby to Lake Grace.
Remarks: The flower stems are up to 80 centimetres tall. The leaves have a red margin and can be twisted spirally in an anti-clockwise direction. The distinctive pink flowers are produced from August to October. The plant is native to, but now rare in, the Cape Province of South Africa.
References: Western Weeds, A Guide to the Weeds of Western Australia. BMJ Hussey, GJ Keighery, J Dodd, SG Lloyd, RD Cousens. 1997.
Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.
A vista of Wild Gladiolus and veldt grass is very pretty, but these African immigrants are aggressive invaders which out-compete the local flora, destroying habitat.
Large numbers of light, papery brown, winged seeds spill from a dry capsule.
