Iridaceae
(Iris Family)
Habit
- ours herbs from
sympodial
rhizomes,
bulbs or
corms
Leaves
- alternate or
basal,
simple and entire,
equitant (oriented edgewise to the stem)
[the blade is folded in half along the midvein and the margins are fused
so that only the lower side of leaf is visible]
Inflorescence
-
scorpoid cymes or solitary; often enclosed by a
spathe
Flowers
-
perfect,
radial (in ours);
hypanthium well developed
Sepals
- 3, distinct
petaloid (6
tepals or differentiated from petals)
Petals
- 3, distinct or
connate
Stamens
- 3,
distinct or
filaments
connate and
adnate to
hypanthium
Carpels
- 3,
connate; ovary
inferior with 3
locules and many
axile ovules (stigmas sometimes
petaloid as in Iris)
Fruit
- a
loculicidal
capsule
Diversity
- ca 80 genera/1750 spp
Distribution
- cosmopolitan but very species rich in S Africa
Economics
- many cultivated ornamentals: Iris (300 spp.), Crocus, Freesia,
Gladiolus; spice saffron
from stigmas of Crocus
Notes
-
Images
-
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