IRIDACEAE
Morphological description
Herbs. Bulbs or rhizomes usually present
Leaves
Leaves simple, distichous, parallel nerves.
Flowers
Flower bisexual, usually slightly zygomorphic, in 2 rows of 3; stamens 3, opposite outer tepals; ovary inferior, 3-celled. Sometimes flowers actinomorphic, inner tepals inconspicuous, stamens united into a tube (Patersonia)
Fruit
Fruit a capsule.
Different from: Amaryllidaceae: leaves spiral.
Distribution: The family cosmopolitan. In Malesia only two genera with native species: Patersonia and Sisyrinchium, only found on high mountains.
Notes: Several species cultivated as ornamentals: Belamcanda*, Crocosmia*, Gladiolus*.
Literature: D.A. Cooke, Fl. Austral. 46 (1986) 1-66; D. J.L. Geerinck, Fl. Males. I, 8 (1977) 77- 84.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Iridaceae 92 - Patersonia 84.
Illustrations: Fig. 92. Patersonia lowii Stapf (Iridaceae). Reproduced from Flora Malesiana I, 8 (1977) 79, fig. 2.
Images in PhytoImages for Iridaceae.