Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: gladiolus

Family: Iridaceae (Iris)

Distribution: Malmesbury to Cape Flats

Habitat: Sandy soil in seasonal wetlands

IUCN Red list: Not evaluated

National red list: Endangered

Life form: Geophyte (bulb, corm or tuber - seasonally dormant)

Comments: Gladiolus quadrangulus has flowers which resemble that of an Ixia and it was in fact originally described as Ixia quadrangula. Unlike many Gladiolus species it doesn’t produce any nectar. This Gladiolus occurs in seasonal wetlands from Malmesbury to the Cape Flats. It grows actively in the rainy winter season and goes dormant in the dry summer season. Gladiolus quadrangulus is endangered as a result of habitat loss due to urbanisation. Since it grows in seasonal wetlands, water extraction and invasive alien species have also become a threat to this species.