Iris cristata

Solander ex Aiton

Hort. Kew. 1: 70. 1789.

Common names: Crested iris
IllustratedEndemic
Synonyms: Neubeckia cristata (Solander ex Aiton) Alefeld
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 377. Mentioned on page 373, 375, 378.

Rhizomes producing fleshy roots, and 2–8 cordlike branches at apex, cordlike portion 2–3 dm × 1–2 mm, gradually enlarging to 8–12 mm diam., nodes with brown, scalelike leaves and rarely roots. Stems simple, 2.5–4.5 cm. Leaves: basal 6–8, proximal 2–3 sheathing, blade light-brown with darker brown line along midrib at base, falcate, scarious, distal 4–5 not sheathing, blade green or yellowish green, with few, subprominent veins, broadly ensiform, slightly falcate, to 1.5 dm × 1–2.5 cm, enlarging to 4 dm after anthesis; cauline 2–3, sheathing, proximal very similar to basal leaves, distal 1 or 2 reduced, herbaceous, blade falcate, not inflated. Inflorescence units 1–2-flowered; spathes green, sharply keeled, somewhat inflated, 2–6 cm, unequal, outer shorter than inner. Flowers: perianth blue, lilac-purple, or white; floral-tube filiform, widening distally, 4–8 cm, lifting expanded portion of flower out of spathes; sepals spreading, with 3 parallel, toothed, crested ridges on white signal bordered with purple, tapering gradually into claw, 3–6 × 1.5–2.5 cm, base gradually attenuate, apex rounded, emarginate; petals spreading, same color as sepals, oblanceolate, 3–4 × 1–2 cm; ovary triangular, with shallow groove along each face, 0.6–1 cm; style 1.5 cm, crests narrowly triangular, 6–9 mm; stigmas oblong, margins entire; pedicel 0.7–1.8 cm. Capsules usually enclosed in spathes, oval, sharply triangular, each angle ridged, 1–1.5 cm. Seeds yellowish-brown, 3.2–3.5 mm, smooth, with narrow, white appendage wrapped around seed, 3.4–4 mm, quickly drying upon exposure to air. 2n = 24, 32.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat: Rich woods, ravines, bluffs, usually in calcareous soil

Distribution

V26 768-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Ark., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Md., Miss., Mo., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."decreasing" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Iris cristata"
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
dehiscing +  and latrorse +
3cm;6cm +
rounded +, attenuate +  and tapering +
1.5cm +  and 2.5cm +
Norlan C. Henderson +
Solander ex Aiton +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
rounded +, attenuate +  and tapering +
1.5cm;2.5cm +
Iris sect. Limniris +
yellowish green +, green +  and light-brown +
not inflated +, falcate +  and ensiform +
enlarging +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
additional +
cordlike +
enlarging +
triangular +  and oval +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
rounded +, attenuate +  and tapering +
1.5cm;2.5cm +
Crested iris +
triangular +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (?) +
monochasial +
Ala. +, Ark. +, D.C. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Ky. +, Md. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Pa. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Va. +  and W.Va. +
distinct or;partly completely connate +
hollow +  and solid +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
fragrant +
upward-facing +
hollow +, solid +, branched +  and simple +
flattened +, terete +  and cordlike +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
woody;firm;cartilaginous +
Rich woods, ravines, bluffs, usually in calcareous soil +
multicellular +
distinct +
cauline +  and basal +
scale-like +
darker brown +
distinct +
triangular +  and rounded +
triangular +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
white +, lilac-purple +  and blue +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (18 cm180 mm <br />0.18 m <br />) +
differentiated +
oblanceolate +
reduced +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +  and 2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
Flowering Apr–Jul. +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
expanded +  and enlarging +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
heterogeneous +
heterogeneous +
crested +  and toothed +
tan;dark-brown +
conspicuously roughened +  and extensively corky +
yellowish-brown +
4 +  and 20 +
rounded;flattened +
0.34 cm3.4 mm <br />0.0034 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
expanding +
persisting +
inflated +  and keeled +
unequal +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
monochasial +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
3-lobed +  and filiform +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (?) +
Neubeckia cristata +
Iris cristata +
Iris sect. Lophiris +
species +
connate +  and distinct +
scarious +
spathaceous +  and more-flowered +
subprominent +
indehiscent +
hardened +  and papery +
unequal +