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Vascular Plants of California
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Sparaxis tricolor
HARLEQUIN FLOWER


Higher Taxonomy
Family: IridaceaeView DescriptionDichotomous Key
Common Name: IRIS FAMILY
Habit: [(Annual), shrub], perennial herb generally from [bulb], corm, or rhizome. Stem: generally erect, generally +- round in ×-section. Leaf: generally basal (few cauline), 2-ranked, +- sword-shaped, blade edge-wise to stem, with midvein or not; bases overlapped, sheathing. Inflorescence: generally +- terminal; spikes, umbel-like cymes, or flowers 1; flowers in spikes or 1 subtended by 2 subopposite flower bracts; umbel-like cymes enclosed by 2 subopposite, generally large, leaf-like inflorescence bracts, including various flower bracts. Flower: bisexual (unisexual), radial, with stamens erect, enclosing style, or bilateral, with stamens, style to 1 side, stamens not enclosing style; perianth radial, parts free or generally fused into tube above ovary, generally petal-like, in 2 series of 3, outer +- like inner (or not, in Iris, parts in that genus called sepals, petals), upper +- like lower or not; stamens 3, attached at base of outer 3 perianth parts or in tube, generally free; ovary inferior [(superior)], [(1)]3-chambered, placentas axile [(parietal)], style 1, branches 3, entire to 2-branched, thread- or petal-like with stigma abaxial, proximal to tip. Fruit: capsule, loculicidal. Seed: few to many.
Genera In Family: +- 65 genera, +- 2050 species: worldwide, especially Africa; many cultivated (e.g., Crocus, Dietes, Freesia, Gladiolus, Iris, Sisyrinchium). Note: Gladiolus italicus Mill., Gladiolus tristis L. are urban weeds. Sparaxis grandiflora (D. Delaroche) Ker Gawl., Sparaxis tricolor (Schneev.) Ker Gawl. are waifs.
eFlora Treatment Author: Peter Goldblatt, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.
Genus: SparaxisView DescriptionDichotomous Key


Common Name: SPARAXIS
Habit: Perennial herb; corm ovoid, cover fibrous. Stem: erect, stiff, branched or not. Leaf: generally basal, 2-ranked, < 3 dm, lanceolate to +- sickle-shaped, midvein prominent. Inflorescence: spike; flowers few, scattered; flower bracts papery, crinkled, streaked with brown, cut into lance-linear segments in upper half or at tip. Flower: radial or bilateral; perianth funnel-shaped or cylindric, tube < to > lobes; stamens free; style branches entire. Fruit: capsule, ovoid, firm. Seed: several, large, spheric, shiny, coat hard.
Etymology: (Greek: to tear, from cut bracts) Note: Many species, hybrids cultivated as ornamental.
Reference: Goldblatt 1999 Fl Southern Afr 7(2:1):150--168
Unabridged Reference: Goldblatt 1969 J S African Bot 35:219--252
Sparaxis tricolor (Schneev.) Ker Gawl.
WAIF

Ecology: Uncommon. Disturbed sites; Elevation: < 50 m. Bioregional Distribution: CCo; Distribution Outside California: native to southern Africa. Flowering Time: Mar--Apr
Jepson eFlora Author: Peter Goldblatt
Reference: Goldblatt 1999 Fl Southern Afr 7(2:1):150--168
Index of California Plant Names (ICPN; linked via the Jepson Online Interchange)

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Citation for this treatment: Peter Goldblatt 2012, Sparaxis tricolor, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=45019, accessed on April 19, 2024.

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2024, Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/, accessed on April 19, 2024.

No expert verified images found for Sparaxis tricolor.



Geographic subdivisions for Sparaxis tricolor:
CCo
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map of distribution 1
(Note: any qualifiers in the taxon distribution description, such as 'northern', 'southern', 'adjacent' etc., are not reflected in the map above, and in some cases indication of a taxon in a subdivision is based on a single collection or author-verified occurence).





 

Data provided by the participants of the  Consortium of California Herbaria.
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All markers link to CCH specimen records. The original determination is shown in the popup window.
Blue markers indicate specimens that map to one of the expected Jepson geographic subdivisions (see left map). Purple markers indicate specimens collected from a garden, greenhouse, or other non-wild location.
Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
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CCH collections by month

Duplicates counted once; synonyms included.
Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa, if there are more than 1 infraspecific taxon in CA.
Blue line denotes eFlora flowering time (fruiting time in some monocot genera).