Iris macrosiphon |
Iris lacustris |
|
---|---|---|
bowltube iris, ground iris |
dwarf lake iris |
|
Rhizomes | many-branched, forming tufts, with fibrous remains of old leaves at nodes, slender, 0.6–0.8 cm diam.; roots few, fibrous. |
with proximal cordlike portion 0.8–2 dm × 2 mm, bearing brown, scalelike leaves and rarely roots, distal portion enlarging to 3–5 × 0.8–1.2 cm, producing fibrous roots, 2–3 brown, sheathing, bractlike leaves, then 8–12 green foliage leaves; usually 2 cordlike rhizomes produced from apex as new growth begins in spring. |
Stems | simple, solid, almost absent or to 2.5 dm. |
simple, 0.8–4 cm. |
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 with blade broadly linear at anthesis, slightly falcate, 4–6 cm × 6–8 mm, enlarging to 16 cm × 10 mm; cauline with proximal 1–2 resembling basal leaves, 4–6 cm, distal 2 more sheathing of stem, exceeding spathes. |
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 green, outer closely sheathing inner and enclosing ovary, slightly keeled at midrib, 4.5 cm, ± equal, margins scarious. |
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 sky blue; floral tube dull yellow, funnelform, 1–2 cm, dilated upward to 4–5 mm diam.; sepals 2–2.3 × 0.8 cm, tapering gradually into claw, apex emarginate, signal white with deep violet margin, with 3 yellow and white, toothed, low ridges; petals spreading, narrowly oblanceolate, 1–1.5 × 0.4–0.5 cm, shorter and narrower than sepals, apex emarginate; ovary sharply trigonal, 0.8–1 cm; style 1–2 cm, crests linear to semiovate, 4 mm, margins crenate; stigmas rounded, margins entire; pedicel 0.6–1.5 cm. |
Capsules | oblong to ovoid, somewhat 3-angled in cross section, 2.5–3 cm. |
roundly triangular, 1.2 × 8 mm, enclosed in spathes. |
Seeds | dark brown, angular, finely wrinkled. |
dark brown, with white appendage spiraled around seed, ca. 3 mm, quickly drying when exposed to air. |
2n | = 40. |
= 32, 42. |
Iris macrosiphon |
Iris lacustris |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun. | Flowering May. |
Habitat | Sunny hillsides, meadows, roadsides | Moist, sandy gravel, limestone shores of lakes |
Distribution |
CA
|
MI; WI; ON |
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.) |
Several authors have described Iris lacustris simply as being very similar to I. cristata, but smaller in every detail. W. R. Dykes (1913) said, “This name may be retained as that of a local form or variety but it hardly deserves specific rank.” He treated the taxon as I. cristata var. lacustris. R. C. Foster (1937) discussed the relationship between I. cristata and I. lacustris in detail, and recognized the latter at specific rank. He stated, “It is interesting to note that it has been recorded in several localities on or near the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, that home of so many pre-Wisconsin relics. Professor Fernald informs me that he has seen it growing there in some abundance on the upper levels of the sandy beaches. Quite probably, it is present there, not as a newcomer, but as a relic.” However, G. L. Hannan and M. W. Orick (2000) concluded that I. lacustris is a product of some post-glacial invasion or introduction of a plant or seed of I. cristata that has developed its own very stable and quite unvariable character. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 384. | FNA vol. 26, p. 378. |
Parent taxa | Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Limniris > ser. Californicae | Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Lophiris |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | I. elata | I. cristata subsp. lacustris, I. cristata var. lacustris |
Name authority | Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 144. (1857) | Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 23. (1818) |
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