Gladiolus gregarius
Welw. ex Baker
Iridaceae
Antholyza descampsii De Wild.
Antholyza gilletii De Wild.
Gladiolus corbisieri De Wild
Gladiolus elegans Vaupel
Gladiolus hanningtonii Baker
Gladiolus karendensis Baker
Gladiolus klattianus Hutch.
Gladiolus macrospathus Goldblatt
Gladiolus multiflorus Baker
Gladiolus pseudogregarius Mildbr. ex Hutch.
Gladiolus spicatus Klatt
Gladiolus uhehensis Harms
Common Name:
General Information
Gladiolus spicatus is a slender perennial plant producing a single, grass-like stem 1 metres or more tall from an underground corm[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
The edible corm is gathered from the wild and consumed locally. It is sometimes sold in local markets, and is also used for local medicinal purposes[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
515- Title
- Flora of Tropical Africa Vol 1 - 8
- Publication
-
- Author
- Var
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- L.Reeve & Co.; Ashford, Kent.
- Year
- 1868 - 1917
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very little information on habitat, range and uses, but gives good descriptions of the plants. It can be downloaded from the internet.
Range
Tropical Africa - Senegal to Uganda and Tanzania, south to Angola, Zambia and Mozambique.
Habitat
Moist savannah[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Bulb |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
None known
Edible Uses
Bulb[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
]. Rich in starch[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. They are eaten as a supplementary food[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. The corms are up to 18mm in diameter[
515- Title
- Flora of Tropical Africa Vol 1 - 8
- Publication
-
- Author
- Var
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- L.Reeve & Co.; Ashford, Kent.
- Year
- 1868 - 1917
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very little information on habitat, range and uses, but gives good descriptions of the plants. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].
Medicinal
The corm, when dried and powdered, is used as an emetic to counter poisoning[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -sow thinly in a pot and grow on without transplanting for the first year. Pot up the small bulbs when they are dormant[
2044- Title
- Useful Plants of Kongo Central Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (Third Edition)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Paul Latham & Augustin Konda ku Mbuta
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
- 978-0-9554208-70
- Description
- An excellent publication, clear and precise by people who know their subject. Originally published in French, then translated into English and also made available in two parts in PDF format as a download from the internet.
].
Division. Young corms can be separated from the parent plant and should be planted out 12 cm deep, spaced at 12cm. Deep planting helps the plants stay upright[
2044- Title
- Useful Plants of Kongo Central Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (Third Edition)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Paul Latham & Augustin Konda ku Mbuta
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2017
- ISBN
- 978-0-9554208-70
- Description
- An excellent publication, clear and precise by people who know their subject. Originally published in French, then translated into English and also made available in two parts in PDF format as a download from the internet.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
