| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information) |
|
|
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
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 ).
Perennial; corms papery to fibrous
Stems erect, < 45 cm, stiff, branched or not
Leaves generally basal, 2-rowed, < 3 dm, lanceolate to ± sickle-shaped, veined, with false midrib
Inflorescence: spike; flowers few, scattered; bracts paired, papery, streaked with brown, cut into lanceolate-linear segments in upper half or irregularly at tip
Flower bisexual, generally radial; perianth funnel-shaped, tube ± = lobes; stamens 3, free, < style, stigma 3-lobed
Fruit: capsule, spheric, firm
Seeds several, spheric to angled, large, generally shiny
Species in genus: 6 species: s Africa
Etymology: (Greek: to tear, from torn appearance of bracts)
Reference: [Goldblatt 1969 J S Africa Bot 35:219–252]
| Introduced |
Flower: perianth tube 10–15 mm lobes cream-white to yellow, with dark marks, or light purple; bracts deeply cut into linear-lanceolate segments in upper half
Ecology: Uncommon. Disturbed sites
Elevation: < 50 m.
Bioregional distribution: Central Coast
Distribution outside California: native to s Africa