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 ).

IRIS

IRIS

Douglass M. Henderson and Anita F. Cholewa

Perennial; rhizome creeping or ± tuber-like
Inflorescence: flowers 1–many
Flower: perianth parts clawed, sepals (wider, spreading or reflexed) unlike petals (generally narrower, erect); style branches ± petal-like, arching over stamens, each with flat, scale-like stigma on surface facing stamen, just below generally 2-lobed tip (crest)
Seeds compressed, pitted
Species in genus: Perhaps 150 species: generally n temp
Etymology: (Greek: rainbow, from flower colors)
Reference: [Lenz 1958 Aliso 4:1–72; Clarkson 1959 Madroño 15:115–122]
Hybrids are common, especially in I. tenax alliance; some authors lump taxa recognized here.
Horticultural information: Pacific Iris hybrids; CVS.

Native

I. hartwegii Baker

Rhizome 5–9 mm diam
Stem 0.5–4 dm
Leaf generally 2–10 mm wide
Inflorescence: flowers 1–3; lowest 2 bracts generally alternate, up to 9 cm apart, lowermost 5–12.5 cm, 3–9 mm wide
Flower: perianth generally pale yellow or cream with darker veins, sometimes deep yellow, lavender, purple, or bluish violet, tube 5–15 mm, sepals 4–7 cm, 14–27 mm wide, petals 3.5–6 cm, 5–14 mm wide, narrowly oblanceolate; style branches 16–30 mm, crests 5–15 mm, stigmas triangular
Ecology: Open or partly shaded slopes
Elevation: 600–2300 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains.