Gladiolus xhortulanus L.H. Bailey (incl. G. gandavensis van Houtt., G. lemoinei Baker, etc.) (Cult.) – An exceptional and ephemeral escape from cultivation or throw-out. Observed in a former sand pit in Flobecq in 2009, probably from discarded garden waste.
Gladiolus xhortulanus is accepted to cover all commonly grown garden ornamentals with large flowers. Jäger & al. (2008) provide an interesting account, including a key to the putative parent species. Some of these parent species (e.g. G. tristis L. and G. dalenii Van Geel) are also cultivated and are known as established escapes outside of their native range, for instance in North America (Goldblatt 2002).
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Selected literature:
Goldblatt P. (2002) Gladiolus. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America, vol. 26. Oxford University Press, New York-Oxford: 407-409. [available online at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=113591]
Jäger E.J., Ebel F., Hanelt P. & Müller G. (eds.) (2008) Rothmaler Band 5. Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Krautige Zier- und Nutzpflanzen. Springer Verlag, Berlin: 880 p.