Quick Characteristics:
| Height: | 45-100 cm (1.5-3.3 ft) |
| Flower Colors: | patterned, brown |
| Flower Season: | late summer to early autumn |
| Climate: | summer rain climate |
Gladiolus sericeovillosus (Hook) is a medium sized summer flowering Gladiolus related to Gladiolus oppositiflorus with pale cream spotted flowers on a distichous spike from Transvaal grasslands. It comes in two subspecies. Photo from Rod Saunders.
G. sericeovillosus subsp. calvatus (Baker) Goldblatt is characterized by leaves which exceed the flower spike. This species may be found in trade as Gladiolus elliotii, likely because it was described by Lewis under this name, while the accepted Gladiolus elliotii (Baker) is a different species. Pictures by Martin Bohnet show a plant with exactly this misnamed history. He grows it in a container in southern Germany, even though some sources attest it hardiness to USDA Zone 7. The yellow throat markings are optional according to some descriptions.
G. sericeovillosus subsp. sericeovillosus has shorter leaves and fine hair on the bracts and stem. In some specimen, the spots on the flowers may be missing.