Iris longipetala

Iris longipetala is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus of Limniris and it is also in the series Longipetalae. It is a bulbous perennial.

It has the common name of 'Long Petaled Iris'^[2][3][4] or 'Coast Iris'.^[4][5]

It was published by William Herbert in 'Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage' p395 in Feb-Mar 1840.^[6]

It was later illustrated in Journal of Royal Horticultural Society in 1963.^[7]

Iris longipetala is an accepted name by the RHS.^[8]

Specimens can be found at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.^[9]

It is hardy to USDA Zone 3,^[7] which is not hardy below 10 degrees F.^[10]

It can be planted in sun or part shade,^[2] it tolerates full sun in coastal areas and a little shade inland with regular watering through the blooming period. It requires less water after the flowering period has ended.^[10][11] It prefers soils with good drainage. It will survive a long period of summer dryness except in hot inland areas.^[10] It is deer resistant,^[11] and it also cattle resistant, due to the foliage being unpalatable.^[10]

It is suitable to be cultivated in garden borders, the fringes of shrubberies in soils with sandy loam.^[12] It may also suitable for pond margins or bog gardens.^[13]

It is better propagated be means of 'Division (horticulture)|division', (the two fork method).^[12]

As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes. This can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.^[14] It has a chromosome count : 2n=86, 88,^[15][16] (found by Simonet in 1932).^[17]

Iris longipetala hybridizes readily with Iris missouriensis.^[18]

A known hybrid is Iris longipetala superba^[19] A known variant is Iris longipetala var. pelogonus.^[20] But this could be a version of 'Iris missouriensis var. pelogonus' which is a synonym of Iris missouriensis.

Habit

Iris longipetala has a rhizome (approx. 10–25 mm diam),^[16] with small trailing branches (which are approx. 2–2.5 cm in diam.) and plenty of fleshy toots.^[18] The spreading rhizomes give the appearance of a clump forming plant.^[2]

It has a small stem, which reaches a height of between 30–60 cm (1–2 ft),^[5] with a few branches (1 or 2)^[16] and is about 3–6 cm in diamater.^[18] The stem has 3 leaves along it, which overlap and wrap around the stem.^[4]

The leaves can be either dark green or bluish green and they can be equal or just shorter than the flowering stems.^[7][11][21] The start at the base of the plant, rising up with a grass-like form. They are generally, between 5-11mm wide.^[16][18][22] They are briefly deciduous,^[10] turning grey or yellow-brown when dying.^[5] Before soon re-appearing, giving the plant an evergreen appearance.^[2][11][21]

It can have between 3-8 flowers per stem, in spring,^[16][22] ref name=european/>ref name=efloras/>^[11] (March—April) ^[18] or summer (in Europe).^[7] The lilac-purple perianth tube is between 3–8 cm in length.^[4][16]

The very lightly scented flowers^[23] come in a range of shades from creamy-white,^{[2][4][5][15][21]} pale blue^[23] to lavender blue.^[5][11][18] Each flower has a purple (lilac to dark purple) veining.^[10][11][18] The falls often have a slight yellowish signal patch.^{[7][15][18][22]}

They are large, measuring about 4-6 inch (8–15 cm) across,^[23] but with narrow petals.^[2][21]

It has 2-lobed stigmas.^[16][18]

After flowering, it has a (oblong-ovoid shaped) seed capsule (measuring approx. 2in long) that is narrowed at each end.^[5] The capsule has 6 ribs along it length. It is almost round in cross-section.^[18] Inside are wrinkled dark brown globular seeds,^[18] which are pyriform.^[5]

Native

Iris longipetala is native to Western USA including California,^[7][15] San Francisco (Bay Area), Mendocino County down to Monterey County.^[2][11][18] It can be found on the Twin Peaks, San Francisco.^[22][24]

It is spread over the coastal grasslands in moist open spaces.^[2][11] It is also found in grazed pastures (due to its cattle resistance).^[10] At altitudes at less than 600m above sea level.^[16]

It prefers wet heavy soils including clay.^[18][23]

It can form dense colonies.^[5]

References

External links

• Iris longipetala
• Image of Iris longipetala

Media related to Iris longipetala at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Iris longipetala at Wikispecies