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long-tube iris, slender iris

Rhizomes

freely branching, producing dense clumps, slender, 0.5–0.7 cm diam., covered with bases of old leaves;

roots fibrous.

Stems

simple, solid, 2–3 dm.

Leaves

basal with blade sometimes pink to red basally, finely ribbed, linear, 3–3.5 dm × 0.5 cm, subglaucous, margins not thickened, apex acute;

cauline 1–3, imbricated, mostly free, bractlike, blade linear-lanceolate, inflated.

Inflorescence units

(1–)2-flowered;

spathes often flushed with pink or red, lanceolate, 4–8 cm × 5–10 mm, subequal or unequal and inner somewhat longer than outer, rigid, apex acuminate.

Flowers

perianth pale cream with distinct veins of lavender, reddish brown, or brown, margins often distinctly crisped;

floral tube funnelform, 3–5.8 cm, slender, then expanding abruptly to base of flower;

sepals spreading outward from base and remaining in horizontal position for entire length, narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4–6.5 × 1.1–1.8 cm, base attenuate into long claw;

petals somewhat spreading, not strictly erect, 4.5–6.5 × 0.6–1.4 cm, base gradually attenuate;

ovary 1–2 cm, gradually tapering to each end;

style 2–3 cm, crests linear, undulate near tip, 1–2.5 cm;

stigmas triangular;

pedicel 0.8–1.8 cm at anthesis.

Capsules

oblong, round in cross section, 3–4 cm, base abruptly attenuate into pedicel, apex gradually acuminate into distinct beak apically.

Seeds

grayish brown, pyriform to oval, 3 mm, wrinkled.

2n

= 40.

Iris tenuissima

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Dry, sunny woods
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 386.
Parent taxa 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. 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. tenax, I. tenuis, I. tridentata, I. verna, I. versicolor, I. virginica
Synonyms I. citrina, I. humboldtiana, I. tenuissima subsp. purdyiformis, I. tenuissima var. purdyiformis
Name authority Dykes: Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 51: 18. (1912)
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