MORAEA SISYRINCHIUM

Family and Genus:- See- IRIDACEAE

Common Names:- Barbary-nut

Homotypic Synonyms:- Diaphane edulis, Gynandriris sisyrinchium,

Helixyra sisyrinchium, Iris collina, Iris sisyrinchium, Xiphion sisyrinchium.

Meaning:- Moraea (L) For R. Moore English botanist.

Sisyrinchium (Gr) Pig-snout, a name used by the Greek philosopher

Theophrastus for iris.

General description:- Variable, low to medium, cormous perennial, 10-30(-45) cm.

Corm:-

1) 15-30 mm diam, globose, surrounded by numerous tunics, the outer coarsely

fibrous.

Leaves:-

1) Few, often 1-2, deep green, canaliculate,10-50 cm x 1·5-5 mm, often longer than

the pedicel.

Flower:-

1) Fugitive, in 1-4 compact cymes, each with 1-6 flowers.

2) Spathes, 4-6 cm, scarious.

3) Perianth, violet-blue to purple.

4) Falls, c. 30 x 10 mm, with an elliptic-obovate limb, with a white or yellow patch.

5) Standard, c. 25 x 5 mm, with a slender, canaliculate claw and lanceolate limb.

6) Style-branches, suberect, deeply divided at the tip in two (2-fid).

7) Beak of ovary 20-30 mm, very slender.

8) Bracts, up to 4 pairs, each enclosing several flowers, scarious.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, (excluding beak) 20 x 4 mm.

2) Seeds 1·5 mm, pyriform, brown.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky hillslopes with open dry shrubby vegetation, olive groves, often in

trampled soil along tracks. 0-600(-1100) m. (occasionally to 1400 m. in dolines).

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread

and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Feb to early June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton