The fibrous leaves of Bobartia gladiata subsp. gladiata grow in a small tuft. In the photo they achieve but half the length of the flower stalk or less and are deep green in colour. Leaf shape is linear, narrow with flattish margins and pointed tips; the leaf is elliptic in cross-section. The leaves reach lengths of 60 cm to 90 cm.

This plant was seen in Bainskloof (Bean and Johns, 2005; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iSpot; Wikipedia).