Iris tuberosa

Iris tuberosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Hermodactyloides
Section: Iris sect. Reticulatae
Species:
I. tuberosa
Binomial name
Iris tuberosa
Synonyms

Synonyms of Iris tuberosa

  • Hermodactylus tuberosus (L.) Mill.

Synonyms of Iris tuberosa var. tuberosa

  • Hermodactylus bispathaceus Sweet
  • Hermodactylus calatajeronensis Tod. ex Lojac.
  • Hermodactylus repens Sweet
  • Hermodactylus zambranii Lojac.
  • Iris bispathacea (Sweet) Spach

Synonyms of Iris tuberosa var. longifolia (Sweet) ined.

  • Hermodactylus longifolius Sweet
  • Hermodactylus tuberosus subsp. longifolius (Sweet) K.Richt.
  • Iris longifolia (Sweet) Spach
Iris tuberosa
Iris tuberosa

Iris tuberosa (formerly Hermodactylus tuberosus) is a species of tuberous flowering plant of the genus Iris, with the common names snake's-head, snake's-head iris, widow iris, black iris, or velvet flower-de-luce.

Distribution

A native of the Mediterranean region, it is found in the northern Mediterranean littoral and western Europe.

It can be found in Albania, France, Greece, and Italy.

Cultivation

It is grown from tubers planted in the autumn. It grows best in full sun to partial shade, and requires well-drained soil. It can naturalise in grassy areas but grows well in rock gardens or containers. It is a common ornamental garden plant, flowering in early spring. It is rather tender in the UK.

Taxonomic history

Illustration from 1801

After being split off from the genus Iris in the nineteenth century into a separate genus, Hermodactylus, it has most recently been returned to the genus Iris, following molecular studies at Kew. According to the proposed molecular classification of irises of Tillie, Chase and Hall, this species is now best seen as a member of the subgenus Hermodactyloides, the reticulate-bulbed bulbous irises.

References

  1. ↑ GBIF: Hermodactylus tuberosus
  2. ↑ "Iris tuberosa var. longifolia (Sweet) ined". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "Iris tuberosa var. tuberosa". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  4. ↑ Thomas Ignatius M. Forster (1828)Circle of the seasons, and perpetual key to the calendar and almanack, p. 162, at Google Books
  5. ↑ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  6. ↑ "Plants Profile - Hermodactylus tuberosus (L.) Salisb. (Iridaceae) - Bellavedova - Widow Iris". luirig.altervista.org. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  7. ↑ "Iris tuberosa L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  8. ↑ "Snake's-head or Widow Iris". Paghat's Garden. Archived from the original on March 23, 2005.
  9. ↑ Caledonian Horticultural Society, Edinburgh Memoirs, Volume 3 (1823), p. 251, at Google Books
  10. ↑ David Joyce: The Genus Iris
  11. ↑ Pacific Bulb Society
  12. ↑ "Is It Clear, My Friend?". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Retrieved 3 Sep 2011.
  13. 1 2 Tillie N, Chase MW, Hall T. 2002 Molecular studies in the genus Iris L.: a preliminary study. Ann. Bot. n.s. (Italy) 1. (2): 105–112 (2001)

Bibliography