IRIS TUBEROSA

Family and Genus:- See- IRIDACEAE

Common Names:- Snakes head iris, Widow iris.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Hermodactylus tuberosus

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

rainbow.

Tuberosa (L) Swollen, tuberous.

General description:- Tuberous perennial.

Stock:-

1) With 2-4 tubers.

Stems:-

1) 20-40cm, slender, erect.

Leaves:-

1) 1·5-3(-5) mm wide, exceeding the stems, quadrangular in section.

Flowers:-

1) Yellowish-green except for the dark brownish-violet limb of the falls.

2) Pedicel, 10-50 mm.

3) Spathes, 1-2, equalling or exceeding the flower, herbaceous, infundibuliform.

4) Hypanthial tube, c. 5 mm.

5) Falls, 40-50 mm; limb shorter than the claw, ovate-orbicular to obovate-oblong,

patent.

6) Standards, 20-25 mm, linear to oblanceolate, mucronate.

7) Ovary unilocular, with a very slender sterile upper portion 6-8 mm.

Key features:-

1) Style-branches, petaloid.

2) Stock with long, digitate root-tubers.

3) Ovary, unilocular.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Seasonally damp grassy meadows, road embankments, field margins,

open woodland, archaeological sites. 0-1200 m.

Distribution:- Most of Greece, but rare in the E Aegean area and lacking in the far

north. - C & E Mediterranean region. Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Feb to early May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton