■ (SPEC) Iris macrosiphon Torrey

1857, Botanical author Torrey

Iris macrosiphon Torrey. ( John Torrey, 1857, California and Oregon); CA, (Series Californicae) ; 6-10" (15-25 cm); Flowers, usually two, with a wide color range, from deep indigo-blue, through lavender and purple, to cream, white and yellow; Stems short to stemless but with a long perianth tube, up to 3", bowl-shaped at the top; Long , narrow, closed spathes; Fragrant; This species is polymorphic with quite variable flower colors and shapes.

See below:

• * References
• * Synonyms
• * Variations
• * Hybrids
• * Distribution and Cultivation

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References:

Descr. Bot Coll. 144. (in Pac. Rail. Rep. 4: 1857)
Van T. 1900; Grull. 1907;
Dykes, The Genus Iris tab. 12. 1913, Description. Rootstock , a slender, compact-growing rhizome. Leaves , narrow, ensiform, acuminate, more or less glaucous, 1/8-1/3 by 10-12 in. Stem , 2-4 in. sheathed in 1-2 narrow reduced leaves. Spathe valves , narrow, 2½-4 in., green, sharply keeled, very narrow and acuminate, 2-3 flowered. Pedicel , ½ in. Ovary , green, ½ in. Tube , 1½-3 in., varying in colour according to the colour of the flower; purple in the case of the purple forms. Falls , broadly oblanceolate, tapering gradually to the broad haft. The colour varies from white through cream and pale yellow to lavender and purple. The veins are of a deeper colour. Standards , Ianceolate with waved edges, slightly shorter than, and of a paler shade of the same colour as, the falls. Styles , narrow, keeled, deeper in colour than the standards. Crests , long, narrowly triangular. Stigma , tongue-shaped. Filaments , ciliate. Anthers , yellow. Pollen , yellow. Capsule , over 1 in. long, trigonal with sharp angles, down each of which runs a groove, the sides flat or slightly convex, with a shallow groove down each. A sharp beak is formed at the upper end, which narrows more gradually than the somewhat truncated base. Seeds , pyriform or oval, some flattened, light reddish brown with coarsely wrinkled coat. Observations. I. macrosiphon was appropriately named, for it is at once distinguishable from all the other known Californian Irises by its short stem and long perianth tube. The liability of its flowers to vary in colour has already been mentioned under the heading of Distribution and is further illustrated by Plate XI I. In the latter it will be noticed that the leaves of the two examples are not equally glaucous, a feature which is even more obvious when the plants are growing side by side. For cultivation, see the general introduction to the Californian group (p. 35).

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Synonyms

Tube Iris. Iris californica Leicht.; Iris chrysophylla Howell; Iris douglasiana Torrey..

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Variations

Iris macrosiphon Torrey

• var macrosiphon Eastwood
• var elata Eastwood

Cultivars of Iris macrosiphon include 'Elata' ----

Hybrids

Iris macrosiphon crosses; 'Greenbriar Contrast', 'Headliner', 'Loyola', 'Pink Ink', 'Pearly Gates', 'Presto', 'Wahkeena' ----

Distribution and Cultivation

Distribution: The distribution of the species gives clues as to its cultural requirements, although plants in cultivation can often tolerate a wider range of variables: The species is found in the following region: Bonap's North American Plant Atlas shows the following map reproduced by permission of Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. Taxonomic Data Center. (http://www.bonap.net/tdc). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)]
Cultivation;

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Interested in Iris Species? Please visit the: Species Iris Group of North America website.

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-- BobPries - 2009-11-26