Gladiolus

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/gladiolus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Gladiolus
2. What is the family?Iridaceae (Iris family)
3. Why is it called the sword flower?The word Gladiolus comes from Latin for sword because its leaves and stems look sharp and straight like a sword. The name reminds us of ancient gladiators who wore them for luck.
4. Where do Gladiolus grow in nature?In the wild they live in grasslands, savannas, and open woods in places like sub‑Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean, and parts of the Middle East and Western Asia.

Geophyte: A plant that survives unfavorable conditions by means of an underground perennating (resting) organ.
Hybridization: The process of breeding between different varieties or species of plants.
Cultivar: A plant variety that has been produced in cultivation by selective breeding.
Florets: Individual small flowers that make up a larger flower head or spike.