Cattail Iris

(Iris typhifolia)

galery

Description

Iris typhifolia is a species in the genus Iris, also the subgenus Limniris and in the series Sibiricae. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from China. It has slender, twisted leaves, deep green slender hollow stem and 2 violet-blue flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. Iris typhifolia has a creeping rhizome, that is surrounded by fibers. It can spread out to 60 cm (23.5 in) across. It has slender, upright leaves, that are occasionally twisted, and ending as point (or lanceolate – sword-shaped). The leaves are between 30–40 cm (12–15.5 in) long and 2mm wide (when flowering). They later, grow up to 90 cm (35.5 in) long and 6 mm wide (at seed and capsule growth time). The leaves has a visible mid-vein. It has a deep green, slender, hollow flowering stem, that grows up to between 50–90 cm (19.5–35.5 in) long. Although, the stem base can be slightly reddish. The stem is unbranched and have between 2–4 green with a reddish-brown edge, lanceolate spathes (leaves of the flower bud), which measure 5.5–6 cm long and 1–1.2 cm wide, and can be membranous in form. The spathes surround 2 flowers in early spring to early summer, May and June. The flowers come in a range of violet-blue shades. From blue, to deep purple, to violet-blue, to violet, to dark violet. The flowers are 6–8 cm in diameter. Like other Irises, it has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals, known as the 'standards'. The large, obovate (shaped like an egg), drooping 'falls' are 5–5.5 cm long, have a red/brown flush or spots on the hafts. The slender, oblanceolate, upright 'standards' are 4.5–5 long and 1-1.2 cm wide. It has a tubular perianth of 5mm long, pedicle (flower stalk stem) of between 1–5 cm long and yellow or yellow/brown anthers. It has 3 cm long stamens, style branches that are 3.5 long and 1–1.2 cm wide and a cylindric ovary which is 1.5–2 cm long and 2–3 mm wide. In July and September, it produces a seed capsule, which is ellipsoid in form and measures 4.5–5 cm long by 1.2–1.5 cm wide. It is 3-angled and 6-veined. The seedlings will also come true from seed. Iris typhifolia is native to Asia. It is found in north east China, ((also known as Manchuria), in the provinces of west Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol) (also known as Inner Mongolia)) It is also found on the southern border of far eastern Russia. It has wide distribution along the Amur River valley.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum:
Class: Liliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Iridaceae
Genus:Iris
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