GLADIOLUS PSITTACINUS, var. COOPERI.

Basutoland and Transvaal.

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Iridaceae. Tribe Ixieae.

Gladiolus, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 709.

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Gladiolus psittacinus, Hook f. var. Cooperi, Bkr. Bot. Mag. t. 6202; Fl. Cap. vi. 158.

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This striking species of Gladiolus belongs to the section Dracocephali of the genus which contains some seven species all characterised by having the upper segments hooded. It is a favourite with cultivators, and has also been taken up by nurserymen who grow blooms for sale. Like a great many of our beautiful native species, it was left to Kew Gardens to bring the species to public notice.

Corms of this Gladiolus were brought to England by Mr. Thomas Cooper, who collected in South Africa for Mr. Wilson Saunders. It first flowered at Kew in 1872, when it was described and figured.

The species is easy of cultivation, and flowers at Pretoria in November. Apart from the interest it is to gardeners generally, it should be of special interest to breeders, as there seems little doubt that some very fine hybrids could be raised from this species.

Description:—A tall plant O·9-1·2 metres high. Corm red, 2·5-6 cm. in diameter, globose; tunics chartaceous, broad, ultimately breaking up into fibres. Leaves 6-8, 60-90 cm. long, 2-3 cm. broad, ensiform, acute, slightly narrowed at the base, glabrous, rigid. Inflorescence a lax 5-10-flowered spike, 20 cm. or more long. Spathe-valves 5-9 cm. long, oblong-lanceolate, sub-acute, kildare-green (R.C.S.). Flowers large, hooded, lemon-yellow (R.C.S.), striped with scarlet-red (R.C.S.). Perianth-tube curved, 5-6 cm. long, trumpet-shaped, glabrous; three upper lobes forming a hood 2-2·5 cm. broad, ovate or obovate, acute, with a distinct claw; the posterior lobe crimson without, lighter in colour within, smaller than the other two upper lobes; the three lower lobes smaller than the upper lobes and strongly reflexed; the anterior lobe 3-4 cm. long, O·5-2 cm. broad, broadly-lanceolate, acute, lemon-yellow (R.C.S.) in the lower half; the lateral lower lobes 2-2·5 cm. long, 0·4-0·5 cm. broad, lanceolate, acute. Stamens inserted at the base of the perianth-tube, shorter than the upper lobes, arcuate. Ovary ellipsoid; style slightly longer than the stamens, arcuate; stigmas terete, pubescent on the stigmatic surface. Capsule 2-2·5 cm. long, ellipsoid. Seeds discoid.

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