Marsh (Gladiolus palustris) and wild gladiolus (G. illyricus) are species that are protected in Slovenia and are receiving increasing attention due to their endangerment. Based on the existing literature, these species can be reliably distinguished only by examining the underground part of the plant, as the tunics of the corm differs in the interweaving of dead fibers. As part of this work, we examined the above-ground part of the plants and looked for morphological differences between the marsh and wild gladiolus. For this purpose, we selected 61 distinguishing characters, which we measured on 91 plants collected in the field. We statistically processed and analysed the data, and based on the criterion of character usefulness, we searched for the most useful characters for distinguishing between the considered species. We also produced species descriptions and a dichotomous identification key. We found that, in addition to differentiation on the basis fibrous tunic covering the corm, the two species are best distinguished based on the total length of perigone leaves, the ratio between the length and width of perigone leaves, the length of the limb and the ratio between the limb and the claw of individual perigone leaves. They also differ in the length of the style and the width of the stem leaf. We found that marsh and wild gladiolus can also be identified based on a good photographic image, which must include a photographed inflorescence where the shape of the lateral perigonal leaf of the outer circle is clearly visible. We also managed to identify most of the herbarium specimens without a corm in the herbarium of the University of Ljubljana. Based on reliable literature data and our own data, we created a map of the confirmed distribution of both species.
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