IRIS GERMANICA

Family and Genus:- See- IRIDACEAE/Subgen. IRIS/Sect. IRIS

Common Names:- Bearded iris

Homotypic Synonyms:- Iris × spectabilis.

Meaning:- Iris (L) After Iris, the mythological messenger of the gods of the

rainbow.

Germanica (L) From Germany, German.

General description:- A robust medium to tall, rhizomatous perennial.

Rhizome:-

1) Thick, spreading on the surface of the ground.

Stems:-

1) 40-90 cm, stout, with branches at least 5 cm long in the upper half, the lower

flowers well-exserted from the subtending bract even in bud.

Leaves:-

1) 30-70 cm x 20-35 mm, ensiform, more or less straight. somewhat glaucous.

Flowers:-

1) (3-)4(-5), bluish-violet, or white tinged with blue; pedicels, very short.

2) Spathes, 35-55 mm, scarcely exceeding the hypanthial tube, scarious in the

upper 1/2-2/3, often tinged with purple.

3) Hypanthial tube, 17-25 mm.

4) Falls, 55-90 x 40-60 mm, cuneate-obovate, without a distinct claw.

5) Standards, 55-90 x 45-60 mm, broadly elliptical, with a short, wide claw.

Fruit:-

1) Seeds, pyriform, rugose, reddish-brown.

Key features:-

1) Lower flowers on distinct branches, well-exserted from subtending bract before

anthesis.

2) Stem, usually with 4 flowers, the 2 uppermost very close together.

3) Spathes, 35-55 mm, scarcely exceeding the hypanthial tube.

4) Perianth-segments, 40-60 mm wide.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry rocky habitats, field margins, graveyards, cultivated land, roadsides.

0-900 m. or higher.

Distribution:- Native to NW Greece, but Aegean records refer to plants naturalised

from cultivation. The true distribution on Crete is unknown owing to it being poorly

recored..

Flowering time:- Mar-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton