Gladiolus atropurpureus Baker

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Path to Chisanga Falls, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:	Gladiolus caerulescens Baker Gladiolus flexuosus Baker Gladiolus gracilicaulis G.J. Lewis Gladiolus luridus Welw. ex Baker Gladiolus whytei Baker
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb, growing from corms. Foliage leaves develop separately, normally after flowering. Flowers colour variable. Normally deep purple but almost white forms do occur. The lower lateral tepals are always marked with dark purple, spear-shaped markings.
Notes:	This species, particularly the light-coloured form is often confused with G. unguiculatus. The latter can be distinguished by the clear "windows", formed by the non-overlapping upper tepals. The corms of G. atropurpureus are smaller and covered in distinct "skirts" of thickened fibres, while the much larger corms of G. unguiculatus have a finely fibrous, reddish covering.
Derivation of specific name:	atropurpureus: dark purple
Habitat:	In woodland and sub-montane grassland, often in rocky places.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Nov - Dec
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Southeastern DRC, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Malawi distribution:	N,C,S
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 10 October 2019
Literature:	Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 71. (Includes a picture). Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 210 - 211. (Includes a picture). Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 86 - 87. (Includes a picture). Goldblatt, P. (1993). Iridaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(4) Pages 80 - 82. (Includes a picture). Goldblatt, P. (1996). Gladiolus in Tropical Africa Timber Press. Portland, Oregon. Pages 126 - 130. (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. 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.

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Flora of Burundi: Gladiolus atropurpureus
Flora of Mozambique: Gladiolus atropurpureus
Flora of Zambia: Gladiolus atropurpureus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Gladiolus atropurpureus

External websites:

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