Iris hartwegii subsp. australis

Iris hartwegii subsp. australis (Parish) L.W.Lenz

Lenz, L. W. 1958. Aliso 4: 35.


Synonyms
Iris tenax var. australis (Parish) R.C.Foster
Foster, R. C. 1937. Contributions to Gray Herbarium 119: 19.

Iris hartwegii var. australis Parish
Parish, S. B. 1898. Erythea 6: 86.

Limniris australis (Parish) M.B.Crespo, Mart.-Azorín & Mavodiev
Crespo, M. B., M. Martínez-Azorín and E.V. Mavrodiev. 2015. Phytotaxa 232: 56.



I_h_australis


Description

descriptionimage2

Rhizome is 6–8 mm diameter. Stem unbranched, 8–30 cm tall. Leaves: basal are 7–10 mm wide usually with a pinkish base; there are 1–4 cauline that are similar to basal leaves. Inflorescence has 2 flowers; bracts subtending the 2 flowers (lower ones) are alternate about 9 cm apart and spreading when flower is open, the lowest bract is 7–12 cm long and 11–23 mm wide. Flowers are blue-violet to purple; the floral tube is 7–10 mm and barrel-shaped; a nectary is present within the floral tube and visible as a slightly yellow, fragile looking area; the three sepals are 4–7 cm long, 11–27 mm wide, and elliptical in shape, the sepals are horizontal and slightly reflexed; the three petals are 5–7 cm long, 5–14 mm wide, narrowly elliptical to elliptical in shape, and upright; the ovary is inferior (below the floral tube) and triangular; the fused portion of the style is within the floral tube and the free portion of the style has three upright petal-like branches that are 31–45 mm long, each with two crests that are 8–15 mm long, each style branch has a small triangular stigma where the crests originate; there are three stamens that are positioned between the sepals and style branches with the style branches arching over them; the filiments are free.

Flowering Time is May–June.


Distribution

austrais_distribution3

On dry slopes in pine forests of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mtns., Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, Southern California, USA at elevations from 1600-2300 m.