ORNAMENTAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ENZYMATIC EVALUATION OF SOME GLADIOLUS SPECIES

The genus Gladiolus (Iridaceae family), with about 270 species, is native to different regions of South Africa and the Mediterranean area, in the first region having a much larger distribution with a larger number of species (more than 114 species). In the Mediterranean area, the ten to twelve species of gladiolus offered taxonomic confusion due to their similarities and morphological variations due to localized evolution. The study effectuated during the period 2018-2020 at two Gladiolus species (G. byzantinus and G. imbricatus), existing in the collection of the Iasi University of Life Sciences, had as purpose the analysis of some ornamental characters and also the content of photosynthetic pigments and the enzymatic activity of the leaves. G. byzantinus formed denser shrubs (higher number of shoots per plant), but in G. imbricatus there were more leaves/shoot, longer flower stalks, denser inflorescences (shorter distance between flowers). G. byzantinus bloomed about two weeks earlier, but flowering time was seven days longer in G. imbricatus. The content of assimilative pigments was higher in G. imbricatus and was correlated with a lower enzymatic activity.