Iris macrosiphon |
Iris hookeri |
|
---|---|---|
bowltube iris, ground iris |
beach-head iris, iris de Hooker |
|
Rhizomes | many-branched, forming tufts, with fibrous remains of old leaves at nodes, slender, 0.6–0.8 cm diam.; roots few, fibrous. |
many-branched, forming dense, cespitose clumps with many crowded fans with persistent old leaf bases, 3–5 × 1.3–1.5 cm. |
Stems | simple, solid, almost absent or to 2.5 dm. |
several to many from a single clump of fans, simple, 0.5–6 dm. |
Leaves | basal longer than stem, blade light green, finely veined, narrowly linear, 3–4 dm × 0.4–0.6 cm, glaucous, margins not thickened, apex acute; cauline 1–2, spreading, sheathing for about 1/2 length, foliaceous, blade not inflated, 0.7–1 dm. |
basal erect or strongly ascending, blade 1–5.2 dm × 0.5–1.4 cm; cauline 2–4, proximal 2–3 similar to basal leaves, distalmost leaf occasionally borne nearly midway on stem, clasping, blade bracteiform, lanceolate, 0.5–1.5 dm. |
Inflorescence units | (1–)2-flowered; spathes nearly opposite, connivent, linear-lanceolate, 4–9.5 cm × 4–6 mm, subequal or outer longer. |
1–2-flowered; spathes herbaceous, lanceolate to oblong-ovate, 2.5–6 cm, firm, outer spathe apex acute, inner similar or scarious at apex. |
Flowers | perianth indigo, purple, lavender, white, cream, or yellow; floral tube linear, gradually dilating apically, 6 cm; sepals usually with fine, dark veins basally, becoming coarser on claw, oblanceolate or obovate, 3.9–7 × 2 cm, base abruptly attenuate into claw; petals oblanceolate, 3.5–6 × 0.5–1.6 cm, base gradually attenuate; ovary ovoid, ca. 1 cm; style 2–3.5 cm, crests overlapping, reflexed, semiovate, 0.8–1.8 cm, margins denticulate; stigmas triangular, margins entire; pedicel 1.5–2 cm. |
perianth deep to pale blue or blue-violet; floral tube 0.5–0.75 cm; sepals broadly rounded, 2.5–4 cm wide, base strongly attenuate to claw, signal diffuse white basal patch; petals much reduced to insignificant, involute or tubular rudiments, 1–2 cm, apex with short bristle, mostly hidden by sepal bases; ovary green or flushed purple, acutely trigonal; style white with purple keel, 2–5 cm, crests overlapping, 2-lobed, subquadrate, margins coarsely serrate; stigmas rounded-triangular, margins entire; pedicel 2.5–4 cm. |
Capsules | oblong to ovoid, somewhat 3-angled in cross section, 2.5–3 cm. |
thin walled, trigonal, with rounded angles and grooved sides, 2–4 cm, apex blunt. |
Seeds | dark brown, angular, finely wrinkled. |
in 2 rows per locule, dark brown with prominent white raphe, compressed-pyriform, 4–6 mm, lustrous. |
2n | = 40. |
= 38. |
Iris macrosiphon |
Iris hookeri |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun. | Flowering Jun–Jul. |
Habitat | Sunny hillsides, meadows, roadsides | Grassy headlands, upper borders of beaches, dunes, and other coast formations, within reach of ocean spray |
Distribution |
CA
|
ME; NB; NL; NS; PE; QC |
Discussion | Iris macrosiphon hybridizes with I. chrysophylla, I. douglasiana, I. fernaldii, I. hartwegii, I. innominata, I. munzii, I. purdyi, I. tenax, and I. tenuissima. The invalid name “Iris californica” Leichtlin has sometimes been applied to a portion of this species. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Some authors still treat this taxon as Iris setosa var. canadensis, but others believe that it merits recognition as a separate species. I have seen I. hookeri flowering in its native habitat in both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and have examined dozens of herbarium specimens of both it and I. setosa, from which it is clearly distinct. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 384. | FNA vol. 26, p. 381. |
Parent taxa | Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Limniris > ser. Californicae | Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Limniris > ser. Tripetalae |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | I. elata | I. canadensis, I. setosa var. canadensis, I. setosa subsp. pygmaea |
Name authority | Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 144. (1857) | Penny ex G. Don: in J. C. Loudon, Hort. Brit. ed. 2, 591. (1832) |
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