The World Flora Online

Herbs perennial (or shrubs or annuals), with rhizomes, bulbs, or corms. Leaves alternate, often 2-ranked, often oriented edgewise to aerial stem, usually sword-shaped to linear, parallel veined, base sheathing. Inflorescence sometimes a spike or reduced to a solitary flower, more often of monochasial, umbellate cymes, each enclosed in 2 opposed bracts (spathes) and termed a rhipidium, which may be solitary and terminal or numerous and variously arranged in racemes or panicles; bracts 1 to several. Flowers bisexual, showy, usually actinomorphic (often zygomorphic elsewhere). Perianth segments 6, in 2 whorls, inner and outer ones equal or differing in size and/or color; tube filiform or trumpet-shaped. Stamens (2 or)3; anthers extrorse. Ovary inferior (or superior), 3-loculed; ovules few to many; placentation axile. Style with filiform, slender, or petaloid branches. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. Seeds with or without aril and wings.

Seeds with copious endosperm Capsule loculicidally dehiscent by valves Perianth petaloid, withering and persisting for some time; segments or lobes 6, 2-seriate, subequal and similar or different Stamens 3, opposite the outer perianth-lobes; anthers 2-locular, opening by slits Ovary inferior, 3-locular with axile, or 1-locular with parietal placentas; style 3-lobed, lobes sometimes petaloid Ovules numerous Perennial herbs with underground rhizomes, corms or bulbs Leaves often crowded at the base of the stem, mostly linear, flattened at the sides, sheathing at the base and equitant Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, with a straight perianth-tube or the tube curved, or completely zygomorphic, usually ornamental and often mottled or spotted Capsule loculicidally dehiscent by valves Perianth petaloid, withering and persisting for some time; segments or lobes 6, 2-seriate, subequal and similar or different Stamens 3, opposite the outer perianth-lobes; anthers 2-locular, opening by slits Ovary inferior, 3-locular with axile, or 1-locular with parietal placentas; style 3-lobed, lobes sometimes petaloid Ovules numerous Perennial herbs with underground rhizomes, corms or bulbs Leaves often crowded at the base of the stem, mostly linear, flattened at the sides, sheathing at the base and equitant Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, with a straight perianth-tube or the tube curved, or completely zygomorphic, usually ornamental and often mottled or spotted

Besides the above indigenous genera, several others are cultivated and some are more or less naturalized, such as monbretia (Crocosmia aurea Planch.) on Cameroon Mt., Neomarica caerulea (Lodd.) Sprague, N. gracilis (Herb.) Sprague and Trimezia martinicensis (Jacq.) Herb. All are from the New World

Fls perfect, regular or irregular; tep 6, mostly bicyclic, petaloid, all alike, or the inner and outer sets unlike, often all connate below into a tube; stamens 3, opposite the sep (outer tep), the filaments often connate below; ovary inferior, trilocular with axile placentation and mostly ± numerous ovules; style 3-lobed, its branches sometimes again divided; fr a loculicidal capsule, or sometimes indehiscent; embryo linear, with a terminal cotyledon; endosperm fleshy, not starchy; mostly geophytic perennial herbs from rhizomes, bulbs, or corms; lvs simple, parallel-veined, narrow, mostly distichous, with an open sheathing base and an often equitant or gladiate, unifacial blade; infl terminal, often subtended by 1 or 2 expanded, bladeless sheaths forming a spathe. 80/1500, especially diversified in S. Afr.

Herbes'vivaces, souvent pourvues de bulbe, de corme, de rhizome ou de tubercule, rarement sous-arbustes.'Feuilles'basilaires, caulinaires ou apicales, simples, planes, plissées ou équitantes, à nervation parallèle, les inférieures souvent réduites et totalement engainantes (= cataphylles), les supérieures parfois réduites et spathiformes.'Inflorescences'terminales ou axillaires, en cymes, épis, panicules souvent composées de fascicules ou de glomérules, parfois entourées de 2 spathes; bractées généralement accompagnées d'une bractéole.'Fleurs'sessiles ou pédicellées, bisexuées, actinimorphes à zygomorphes; périgone souvent marcescent, à 6 tépales libres, disposés en 2 verticilles semblables ou dissemblables, ou soudés en un tube; étamines 3, libres ou soudées en un tube, opposées aux tépales externes; anthères basifixes ou dorsifixes; ovaire infère, 3-loculaire, à placenta axillaire; style entier ou divisé en 3 branches parfois tépaloïdes; stigmates 3 ou 6, terminaux ou axillaires à la base des branches; ovules généralement nombreux.'Fruits': capsules à déhiscence loculicide, apicale ou irrégulière.'Graines globuleuses à aplaties, souvent anguleuses et parfois ailées.\n\t\t\tFamille cosmopolite mais surtout d'Afrique australe et d'Asie septentrionale, comprenant environ 60 genres et 350 espèces. Pour la Flore : 15 genres et 60 espèces dont 2 naturalisées, ainsi qu'un hybride naturalisé, et 9 taxons infraspécifiques.\n\t\t\tCette synthèse des Iridaceae pour la Flore d'Afrique centrale a pu se réaliser grâce aux excellents travaux monographiques de Peter Goldblatt (MO) à qui cette publication est dédiée. Outre les genres cités, sont parfois cultivés :'Iris germanica'L. et'I. humilis Georgi [d'après Troupin, Fl. Rwanda. 4 : 98 (1988)].

Leaves basal and cauline, sometimes the lower 2-3 membranous below, entirely sheathing, not reaching much above the ground (thus cataphylls); foliage leaves with open or closed sheaths, the blades mostly distichous and equitant (the base of one leaf clasping the base of the one opposite, this in turn clasping the base of the next), oriented edgewise to the stem (unifacial), parallel-veined, plane, plicate or rarely terete; or oriented with the adaxial surface facing the stem (bifacial) and channelled to flat in a few genera Perennial evergreen or seasonal herbs, with rhizomes, bulbs or corms, rarely annuals or shrubs with a woody caudex Stamens 3, inserted at the base of the outer tepals, or in the tube, symmetrically disposed or unilateral and arcuate (or declinate); filaments filiform, free or partly to completely united; anthers 2-thecous, extrorse, usually dehiscing longitudinally Ovary inferior (but superior in the Tasmanian Isophysis ), 3-locular with axile placentation (rarely 1-locular with parietal placentation); ovules anatropous, few-many; style filiform, usually 3-branched, sometimes simple, or 3-lobed, the branches either filiform or distally expanded, sometimes each divided in the upper half, stigmatic towards the apices, or the branches thickened or flattened and petaloid, the stigmas then abaxial below the apices Flowers hermaphrodite, with a petaloid perianth of 2 equal or unequal whorls (rarely one whorl absent), actinomorphic or zygomorphic Tepals usually large and showy, free virtually to the base or united in a tube Flowering stems aerial or subterranean, simple or branched, terete, angled or winged Inflorescence either composed of umbellate clusters (rhipidia) enclosed in opposed leafy to dry bracts (spathes) with flowers usually pedicellate (to ± sessile) and each subtended by one bract; or a spike of sessile flowers, each subtended by 2 opposed bracts; or occasionally flowers solitary Seeds globose to angular or discoid, sometimes broadly winged, usually dry (rarely fleshy); endosperm hard, with reserves of hemicellulose, oil and protein; embryo small Fruit a loculicidal capsule, rarely indehiscent Perennial evergreen or seasonal herbs, with rhizomes, bulbs or corms, rarely annuals or shrubs with a woody caudex Stamens 3, inserted at the base of the outer tepals, or in the tube, symmetrically disposed or unilateral and arcuate (or declinate); filaments filiform, free or partly to completely united; anthers 2-thecous, extrorse, usually dehiscing longitudinally Ovary inferior (but superior in the Tasmanian Isophysis ), 3-locular with axile placentation (rarely 1-locular with parietal placentation); ovules anatropous, few-many; style filiform, usually 3-branched, sometimes simple, or 3-lobed, the branches either filiform or distally expanded, sometimes each divided in the upper half, stigmatic towards the apices, or the branches thickened or flattened and petaloid, the stigmas then abaxial below the apices Flowers hermaphrodite, with a petaloid perianth of 2 equal or unequal whorls (rarely one whorl absent), actinomorphic or zygomorphic Tepals usually large and showy, free virtually to the base or united in a tube Flowering stems aerial or subterranean, simple or branched, terete, angled or winged Inflorescence either composed of umbellate clusters (rhipidia) enclosed in opposed leafy to dry bracts (spathes) with flowers usually pedicellate (to ± sessile) and each subtended by one bract; or a spike of sessile flowers, each subtended by 2 opposed bracts; or occasionally flowers solitary Seeds globose to angular or discoid, sometimes broadly winged, usually dry (rarely fleshy); endosperm hard, with reserves of hemicellulose, oil and protein; embryo small Fruit a loculicidal capsule, rarely indehiscent

SELECTED REFERENCES

Arber, A. 1921. The leaf structure of the Iridaceae. Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 35: 301–336. Goldblatt, P. 1975. Revision of the bulbous Iridaceae of North America. Brittonia 27: 373–385. Goldblatt, P. 1990. Phylogeny and classification of Iridaceae. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 77: 607–627. Goldblatt, P. 1991. An overview of the systematics, phylogeny and biology of the southern African Iridaceae. Contr. Bolus Herb. 13: 1–74. Reeves, G. et al. 2001. Molecular systematics of Iridaceae: Evidence from four plastid DNA regions. Amer. J. Bot. 88: 2074–2087.

Herbs, perennial, rarely annual [or shrubs with woody caudex], evergreen or seasonal, sometimes cespitose; rootstock a rhizome, bulb, or corm. Flowering stems aerial (or subterranean in Romulea), simple or branched, terete or variously compressed, angled or winged. Leaves basal and cauline, distichous; proximal 2–3 sometimes membranous, not reaching much above ground; others with open or closed sheaths, usually unifacial [bifacial or terete], oriented edgewise to the stem; blade parallel-veined, plane or pleated, channeled. Inflorescences umbellate, monochasial cymes (rhipidia), spikes, or solitary flowers; rhipidia enclosed in 2, opposed, usually large, leafy to dry bracts (spathes); flowers except for the first subtended by 1 floral bract; spike flowers each subtended by 2, opposed bracts. Flowers usually pedicellate [± sessile]; per-ianth actinomorphic or zygomorphic, petaloid, with 2 equal or unequal whorls of 3 tepals each [1 whorl of 6]; tepals usually large, showy, distinct or connate in tube; stamens 3 [2], inserted at base of outer tepals or in tube, symmetrically arranged or unilateral, arcuate [declinate]; filaments distinct or partly to completely connate, sometimes weak, unable to support anthers; anthers with 2 pollen sacs, extrorse, occasionally latrorse, usually dehiscing longitudinally [rarely apically]; ovary inferior [superior in Tasmanian Isophysis], 3-locular [1-locular]; placentation axile [parietal]; ovules 2–few, anatropous; style single, filiform at least proximally, usually 3-branched or 3-lobed, branches either filiform, distally expanded, sometimes each divided in distal 1/2, stigmatic toward apices, or branches thickened, or flattened, petaloid, stigmas then abaxial below apices. Fruits capsular, loculicidal, rarely indehiscent, firm to cartilaginous, occasionally woody. Seeds globose to angular (prismatic) or discoid, sometimes broadly winged; seed coat usually dry (rarely fleshy); endosperm hard, with reserves of hemicellulose, oil, and protein; embryo small.

Perennial herbs, evergreen or dying back each year to a persistent stock, with rhizomes bulbs or corms, rarely annual herbs, or shrubs with a woody caudex Flowering stems aerial or subterranean, simple or branched, terete, angled or winged Leaves basal and cauline; sometimes the lower 2–3 membranous below, entirely sheathing, not reaching much above the ground (thus cataphylls); foliage leaves with open or closed sheaths, the blades mostly distichous, usually equitant and ensiform, parallel-veined, plane, plicate or rarely terete; or leaves bifacial and channelled to flat in a few genera Inflorescence either composed of umbellate clusters (rhipidia) enclosed in opposed leafy to dry bracts (spathes) with flowers usually pedicellate (to more or less sessile) and each subtended by one bract; or inflorescence spicate with flowers sessile, each subtended by two opposed bracts; or occasionally flowers solitary Fruit a loculicidal capsule, rarely indehiscent; seeds globose to angular or discoid, sometimes broadly winged, usually dry (rarely fleshy), endosperm hard, with reserves of hemicellulose, oil and protein, embryo small Stamens 3, inserted at the base of the outer tepals, or in the perianth tube, symmetrically disposed or unilateral and arcuate (or declinate); filaments filiform, free or partly to completely united; anthers 2-thecous, extrorse, usually dehiscing longitudinally Ovary inferior (but superior in the Tasmanian Isophysis), trilocular with axile placentation (rarely unilocular with parietal placentation), ovules usually anatropous, many to few; style filiform, usually 3-branched, sometimes simple or 3-lobed, style branches either filiform or distally expanded, sometimes each divided in the upper half, stigmatic towards the apices, or the branches thickened or flattened and petaloid, the stigmas then abaxial below the apices Flowers hermaphrodite, with a petaloid perianth of two equal or unequal whorls of tepals (rarely one whorl absent), actinomorphic or zygomorphic Tepals usually large and showy, free virtually to the base, or united in a perianth tube Flowering stems aerial or subterranean, simple or branched, terete, angled or winged Leaves basal and cauline; sometimes the lower 2–3 membranous below, entirely sheathing, not reaching much above the ground (thus cataphylls); foliage leaves with open or closed sheaths, the blades mostly distichous, usually equitant and ensiform, parallel-veined, plane, plicate or rarely terete; or leaves bifacial and channelled to flat in a few genera Inflorescence either composed of umbellate clusters (rhipidia) enclosed in opposed leafy to dry bracts (spathes) with flowers usually pedicellate (to more or less sessile) and each subtended by one bract; or inflorescence spicate with flowers sessile, each subtended by two opposed bracts; or occasionally flowers solitary Fruit a loculicidal capsule, rarely indehiscent; seeds globose to angular or discoid, sometimes broadly winged, usually dry (rarely fleshy), endosperm hard, with reserves of hemicellulose, oil and protein, embryo small Stamens 3, inserted at the base of the outer tepals, or in the perianth tube, symmetrically disposed or unilateral and arcuate (or declinate); filaments filiform, free or partly to completely united; anthers 2-thecous, extrorse, usually dehiscing longitudinally Ovary inferior (but superior in the Tasmanian Isophysis), trilocular with axile placentation (rarely unilocular with parietal placentation), ovules usually anatropous, many to few; style filiform, usually 3-branched, sometimes simple or 3-lobed, style branches either filiform or distally expanded, sometimes each divided in the upper half, stigmatic towards the apices, or the branches thickened or flattened and petaloid, the stigmas then abaxial below the apices Flowers hermaphrodite, with a petaloid perianth of two equal or unequal whorls of tepals (rarely one whorl absent), actinomorphic or zygomorphic Tepals usually large and showy, free virtually to the base, or united in a perianth tube