IRIDACEAE

IRIS FAMILY

Elizabeth McClintock, except as specified

Perennial, bulbed, cormed, or rhizomed
Stem generally erect
Leaves generally basal (a few cauline), 2-ranked, ± linear, generally grass-like, generally sharply folded along midrib; bases overlapping, sheathing
Inflorescence: spike, raceme, panicle, ± terminal, or flowers solitary; bracts ± like leaf bases, sheathing
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; hypanthium fused to ovary; perianth parts generally fused into tube above ovary, generally petal-like, in 2 series of 3, outer (sepals) generally ± like inner (petals); stamens 3, generally attached to sepals, filaments fused below into a tube or not; ovary inferior, 3-chambered, placentas generally axile, style 1, each of 3 branches entire or 2-branched or -lobed, petal-like or not, with stigma on under surface instead of at tip
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal
Seeds few–many
Genera in family: 80 genera, ± 1500 species: worldwide, especially Africa; many cultivated (e.g., Iris, Gladiolus, Crocus, Freesia ).

CROCOSMIA

Perennial; corms round to ± flat, with fibrous covering, often produced by rhizomes
Stem branched or not
Inflorescence: generally panicle of spikes, generally > leaves; flowers each subtended by 2 bracts
Flower: perianth funnel-shaped, orange to brick-red, tube generally curved, lobes spreading, ± equal; stamens free, exserted from tube; style ± > stamens, branches each entire
Seeds generally 3–6, some aborted
Species in genus: ± 7 species: s Africa
Etymology: (Greek: saffron, from smell of dried flowers in warm water)
Reference: [Kostelijk 1984 Plantsman 4:246–253; DeVos 1984 J S Africa Bot 50:463–502]