Iris macrosiphon |
Iris virginica |
|
---|---|---|
bowltube iris, ground iris |
iris de virginie, southern blue flag, Virginia iris |
|
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 clumps, 2–4 cm diam., usually covered with remnants of old leaves; roots fleshy. |
Stems | simple, solid, almost absent or to 2.5 dm. |
rather weak, often falling over after flowering, solid, usually 1-branched, 5–10 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 often flexible, blade gray-green to bright green, buff to purplish basally, with several prominent ribs in mature leaves, linear-ensiform, 6–8 dm × 2.5–3 cm, apex acute. |
Inflorescence units | (1–)2-flowered; spathes nearly opposite, connivent, linear-lanceolate, 4–9.5 cm × 4–6 mm, subequal or outer longer. |
2–3-flowered, branch units 1–2-flowered; spathes compact, often with brown striations, ridged, unequal, outer 3–8 cm, inner 8–14 cm, firm, herbaceous. |
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 lavender to violet, rarely white; floral tube constricted above ovary, 1–2 cm; sepals spreading and arched, pale blue to purple with darker blue or purple lines, obovate to oval, 4–8.4 × 1.6–4 cm, base abruptly attenuate, claw green in median, bordered by yellow ground with blue or purple lines, yellow extending onto base of limb as finely pubescent signal patch; petals oblong-lanceolate to oblong-spatulate, 3–7 × 1–3 cm, claw greenish yellow with blue or purplish lines, apex often emarginate; ovary trigonal, 1.3–3.8 cm; style inwardly auriculate at convergences, 3–4.5 cm, crests reflexed, 0.7–2 cm; stigmas unlobed, with prominent triangular tongues, margins entire; pedicel 2.5–8 cm. |
Capsules | oblong to ovoid, somewhat 3-angled in cross section, 2.5–3 cm. |
ovoid, ellipsoid, or long-cylindric, trigonal or polygonal in cross section, 3–6 × 1–2 cm. |
Seeds | dark brown, angular, finely wrinkled. |
in 2 rows per locule, pale brown, usually D-shaped, 5–8 mm, pitted, corky. |
2n | = 40. |
= 70, 72. |
Iris macrosiphon |
Iris virginica |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Sunny hillsides, meadows, roadsides | Wetlands, margins of lakes and streams |
Distribution |
CA
|
AL; AR; DC; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; NE; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; ON; 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.) |
Plants of Iris virginica from the southeastern and south-central states having stems 2–3-branched and seldom falling to the ground after flowering, and with capsules long-cylindric have been recognized as var. shrevei. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 384. | FNA vol. 26, p. 390. |
Parent taxa | Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Limniris > ser. Californicae | Iridaceae > Iris > subg. Limniris > sect. Limniris > ser. Laevigatae |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | I. elata | I. caroliniana, I. georgiana, I. shrevei, I. virginica var. shrevei |
Name authority | Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 144. (1857) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 39. (1753) |
Web links |