Gladiolus dalenii Van Geel
subsp. dalenii

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Swanepoel Concession, Cheringoma

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Synonyms:	Gladiolus natalensis Reinw. ex Hook.f. Gladiolus primulinus Baker Gladiolus psittacinus Hook. f. Gladiolus quartinianus A. Rich.
Common names:	Parrot-beak gladiolus (English)
Frequency:	Frequent
Status:	Native
Description:	Robust herb, 50-120 cm high, growing from a corm 20-30 mm in diameter. Leaves 4-7, produced with the flowers, basal and along the flowering stem, linear to narrowly lanceolate, about half as long as the flowering spike, 10-30 mm wide, stiff and firmly textured; midrib and margins thickened. Inflorescence unbranched, 3-10-flowered; bracts 3.5-7 cm long, green. Flowers variable in colour from lemon yellow, orange or red, variously streaked or plain. Upper tepals broadly elliptic to ovate, together forming a helmet-like hood, curved down obscuring the stamens. A widespread and variable species. Some varieties were formerly described as separate species but these are now considered synonyms of G. dalenii.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	dalenii: named after Cornelius Dalen (1766-1852), Dutch botanist and director of the Rotterdam Botanic Garden.
Habitat:	In various types of grassland, woodland and along road sides. Generally present except in semi-arid areas.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Dec - May
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,GI,M
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Thursday 20 July 2023
Literature:	Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 70. (Includes a picture). Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 212 - 213. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 310. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 28. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 18. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 127. Goldblatt, P. (1993). Iridaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(4) Pages 89 - 93. (Includes a picture). Goldblatt, P. (1996). Gladiolus in Tropical Africa Timber Press. Portland, Oregon. Pages 207 - 217. (Includes a picture). Linley, K. & Baker, B. (1972). Flowers of the Veld Bundu Series Longman Zimbabwe Pages 27 - 28. As Gladiolus psittacinus (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 92. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Page 16. As Gladiolus natalensis (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 116. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 66. (Includes a picture). Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 21, plates 39 & 40 Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 44 - 45. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 124. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 26. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 110. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 83.

Other sources of information about Gladiolus dalenii subsp. dalenii:

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Flora of Caprivi: Gladiolus dalenii subsp. dalenii
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Flora of Malawi: Gladiolus dalenii subsp. dalenii
Flora of Zambia: Gladiolus dalenii subsp. dalenii
Flora of Zimbabwe: Gladiolus dalenii subsp. dalenii

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Gladiolus dalenii
African Plant Database: Gladiolus dalenii
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Gladiolus dalenii
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Gladiolus dalenii
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Gladiolus dalenii
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iNaturalist: Gladiolus dalenii
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Gladiolus dalenii
JSTOR Plant Science: Gladiolus dalenii
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Gladiolus dalenii
Plants of the World Online: Gladiolus dalenii
Tropicos: Gladiolus dalenii
Wikipedia: Gladiolus dalenii