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Del Norte County iris, Del Norte iris, golden iris

Oregon flag, Oregon iris, tough-leaf iris

Rhizomes

freely branching, forming compact tufts, slender, 0.3–0.4 cm diam., covered with remains of old leaves;

roots fibrous.

many-branched, not creeping, forming dense clumps, slender, 0.3–0.8 cm diam.;

roots fibrous.

Stems

simple, solid, slender, 2–2.5 dm.

simple, somewhat angular, solid, 1.5–2.7 dm.

Leaves

basal evergreen, abundant, blade dark, shining green on one side, lighter green on the other, pink to deep purple basally, 3.5 dm × 0.2–0.4 cm, longer than flowering stem, margins not thickened;

cauline 2–4, sheathing stem for about 2/3 length, foliaceous, spreading, blade not inflated, 4–9 cm.

basal somewhat lax, overtopping stem, blade light green, paling to pink or straw color basally, finely ribbed, linear-acute to linear, ensiform, 4.5 dm × 0.5 cm, margins not thickened;

cauline 1–3, sheathing for 1/2 length then spreading, foliaceous, blade linear-lanceolate, not inflated, narrow, reduced, to 15 cm.

Inflorescence units

1(–2)-flowered;

spathes closely enclosing ovary and floral tube, broadly lanceolate to ovate, 3.3–6 cm × 5–7 mm, herbaceous, margins scarious.

1–2-flowered;

spathes distant basally by 3 cm in some cases, keeled, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate-acuminate, 5–7 cm × 2–4 mm, unequal, outer longer than inner, herbaceous, margins scarious.

Flowers

perianth usually dark golden yellow, cream, pink, lavender, or purple, heavily veined purple or brown;

floral tube 1.5–3 cm;

sepals usually yellow with heavy veining, broadly oblanceolate, 4.5–6 × 1.7–3 cm, base gradually attenuate, margins often wavy;

petals same color as sepals with lighter veining, narrowly oblanceolate, 4–5.7 × 0.9–1.6 cm, base gradually attenuate;

ovary roundly triangular in cross section, 1.5–1.8 cm;

style 2–2.6 cm, crests overlapping, subquadrate to semiovate, 0.9–1.4 cm, margins irregularly toothed;

stigmas triangular, margins entire;

pedicel 0.4–1.3 cm at anthesis.

perianth color variable, purple, pink, lavender, cream, yellow, or rarely white;

floral tube funnelform, 0.6–2 cm;

sepals veined with color of limb, obovate, 5.8–6 × 1.6–2 cm, base gradually attenuate into white claw with slight yellow ridge, apex emarginate to bluntly rounded;

petals same color as sepals, not prominently veined, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 5 × 1 cm;

ovary 1–2 cm, slightly wider distally, base very gradually attenuate;

style 2.2–3.2 cm, crests subquadrate, 8–12 mm, margins crenate or incised;

stigmas triangular, margins entire;

pedicel 1–5 cm, longer in second flower (when present) than in first.

Capsules

oblong-oval, circular in cross section, 2.5 × 1.2 cm.

oblong, triangular in cross section, prominently ribbed, beaked, 3–5 cm.

Seeds

in 2 rows per locule, dark brown, oval, sharply angled, 3 mm, wrinkled, pitted.

brown, D-shaped to irregular, wrinkled.

2n

= 40.

Iris innominata

Iris tenax

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Dry, sunny woods Dry soils in fields and open woods
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Iris innominata hybridizes with I. bracteata, I. chrysophylla, I. douglasiana, I. fernaldii, I. macrosiphon, I. munzii, I. purdyi, and I. tenax. It is known only from southwestern Oregon and Del Norte County in northwestern California.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Plants described as subsp. klamathensis differ from others of the species in having floral tubes 11–20 mm instead of 6–10 mm, style crests somewhat longer and narrower, and flower color and markings more like those of Iris bracteata or I. innominata. The latter species has an even longer floral tube, 15–30 mm, which could be evidence of introgression. Hybrids are known to occur in the area common to both species, in Douglas County, Oregon.

Iris tenax hybridizes with I. bracteata, I. chrysophylla, I. douglasiana, I. hartwegii, I. innominata, I. macrosiphon, I. purdyi, and I. tenuissima.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 387. FNA vol. 26, p. 383.
Parent taxa Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Limniris > ser. Californicae Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Limniris > ser. Californicae
Sibling taxa
I. bracteata, I. brevicaulis, I. chrysophylla, I. cristata, I. douglasiana, I. fernaldii, I. fulva, I. germanica, I. giganticaerulea, I. hartwegii, I. hexagona, I. hookeri, I. lacustris, I. longipetala, I. macrosiphon, I. missouriensis, I. munzii, I. orientalis, I. pallida, I. prismatica, I. pseudacorus, I. pumila, I. purdyi, I. savannarum, I. setosa, I. sibirica, I. tenax, I. tenuis, I. tenuissima, I. tridentata, I. verna, I. versicolor, I. virginica
I. bracteata, I. brevicaulis, I. chrysophylla, I. cristata, I. douglasiana, I. fernaldii, I. fulva, I. germanica, I. giganticaerulea, I. hartwegii, I. hexagona, I. hookeri, I. innominata, I. lacustris, I. longipetala, I. macrosiphon, I. missouriensis, I. munzii, I. orientalis, I. pallida, I. prismatica, I. pseudacorus, I. pumila, I. purdyi, I. savannarum, I. setosa, I. sibirica, I. tenuis, I. tenuissima, I. tridentata, I. verna, I. versicolor, I. virginica
Synonyms I. gormanii, I. tenax var. gormanii, I. tenax subsp. klamathensis
Name authority L. F. Henderson: Rhodora 32: 23. (1930) Douglas ex Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1218. (1829)
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