Family: Iridaceae
Iris orientalis
Citation:
Miller, Gard. Dict. edn 8 (1768).
Synonymy: I. ochroleuca L., Mant. Alt. 175 (1771).
Common name: Oriental iris.
Description:
Perennial to 1.5 m high, with an underground rhizome forming dense clumps; leaves linear, acute, erect to arching, 30-90 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, dark-green; stem erect, unbranched below the inflorescence, with 2 or 3 leaves.
Terminal cyme 2- or 3-flowered, closely flanked by 1 or 2 2-flowered cymes; spathe bracts narrowly lanceolate, acute, 4-8 cm long, herbaceous or with membranous apices; flowers long-pedicellate, white and yellow, slightly sweet-scented; perianth tube funnel-shaped, c. 1 cm long; outer lobes spathulate, 6-7 cm long, with a straight patent claw and a shorter decurved orbicular lamina with a large golden-yellow blotch; inner lobes oblanceolate, c. 6 cm long, erect, white; style branches oblong-elliptic, white, with acute crests 6-10 mm long.
Capsules cylindrical, 3-4 cm long, with a beak to 2 cm; seeds not seen.
Published illustration:
Macoboy (1969) What flower is that?, fig. 518.
Distribution:
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A garden escape along streams.
S.Aust.: SL. Native to western Turkey and the eastern Aegean islands.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: Oct., Nov.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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