Iris attica
| Iris attica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Subfamily: | Iridoideae |
| Tribe: | Irideae |
| Genus: | Iris |
| Subgenus: | Iris |
| Species: | Iris attica |
| Binomial name | |
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Iris attica Boiss. & Held. Boissier and Heldreich |
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| Synonyms | |
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Iris attica ('Greek Iris') is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus of Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the mountains of the Balkans in Europe, within the countries of Greece, former Yugoslavia, Turkey and Macedonia. It has sage green or grey-green leaves, that are sickle-shaped, a stout short stem and 2 variable flowers, in shades from yellow to purple. They have a white or blue beard. It is often called Iris pumila subsp attica, but is classified in most sources, as a separate species, although it is closely related to Iris pumila, as a possible parent plant. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.
It is similar in form to Iris suaveolens, that also appears with yellow or purple forms. They are also have flowers in similar colours/shades to Iris pumila, as well as the form of the iris, but smaller.
It has small rhizomes, that spread out, to form clumps of plants.
It has glaucous, sage-green, or green grey leaves. They can grow up to between 4–8 cm (2–3 in) long, and 4-7mm wide. They are lanceolate with a sharp curvature, or sickle shaped.
It has a stout stem, that can grow up to between 5–10 cm (2–4 in) tall. Although, very occasionally they can reach 15 cm tall.
The stems hold 2 terminal (top of stem) flowers, blooming in spring, or early summer, between March, April, May, or late as June. The slender, flowers are 3.5–4.5 cm (1–2 in) in diameter, come in various shades, from yellow to purple. Including whitish, pale yellow, greenish yellow, lemon yellow, mustard yellow, to blue, blue-purple, violet-blue, and mauve shades. 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'. In the centre of the falls, is a beard. Which can vary in colour, from white through to blue, or bright blue. Some flowers are bi-coloured. The yellow forms have a brown signal patch on the falls. The purple or violet forms have contrasting spots in violet or plum. The standards are upright.
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Wikipedia