Iris purdyi

Eastwood

Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 3, 1: 78, plate 7, fig. 2. 1897.

Common names: Purdy’s iris
Endemic
Synonyms: Iris lansdaleana Eastwood Iris macrosiphon var. purdyi (Eastwood) Jepson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 385. Mentioned on page 374, 384, 386, 387.

Rhizomes much branched, forming dense clumps, dark red-brown, very slender, 0.3–0.6 cm diam., covered with remains of old leaves; roots fibrous. Stems simple, solid, 1.5–2.5 dm. Leaves: basal few, laxly spreading, longer than stem, blade bright dark green adaxially, flushed pink basally, veins subprominent, linear, 2.8–4.8 dm × 0.5–0.8 cm, rather glaucous abaxially, margins thickened, apex acute; cauline imbricated, sheathing, free only at tips, bracteiform, blade green edged with pink, strongly striate, inflated, apex acuminate. Inflorescence units 1–2-flowered; spathes green with prominent red margins, inflated, broadly lanceolate-ovate, 5.6–7 cm × 8–13 mm, unequal, outer shorter than inner, herbaceous, apex acuminate. Flowers: perianth pale creamy yellow flushed with pale lavender, with conspicuous brownish purple lines; floral tube linear, 3–5 cm, somewhat dilated apically; sepals widely spreading, veined and dotted with deeper purple on claw and limb, oblanceolate, 5.5–8.4 × 1.6–2.7 cm; petals spreading, lanceolate, 5–7 × 1–2 cm, margins sinuate; ovary trigonal in cross section with groove along each angle, narrow, 1–1.5 cm; style 2–3 cm, crests narrowly semiovate or nearly linear, laciniate, 1–2 cm; stigmas rounded-truncate to 2-lobed, never triangular, margins minutely denticulate; pedicel 1–2 cm. Capsules oblong-ovoid, trigonal, somewhat beaked, 2–3 cm. Seeds light brown, D-shaped, oblong-ovoid, thick, finely wrinkled. 2n = 40.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat: Open woods of redwood region

Discussion

Iris purdyi hybridizes with I. bracteata, I. chrysophylla, I. douglasiana, I. innominata, I. macrosiphon, I. tenax, and I. tenuissima.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.