''Iris latistyla'' is a plant species in the genus ''
Iris'', it is also in the subgenus ''
Limniris'' and in the section Lophiris section'', although it was thought to be listed within
''Iris'' subg. ''Nepalensis'' in some sources. It is a
rhizomatous perennial, from
Tibet and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, with violet or blue-purple flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in
temperate regions.
Description
It has short, rhizomes, that have the tan or brown, fibrous remains of past years leaves.
[British Iris Society (1997) ] Below the rhizome are pale brown, thick, fleshy-like roots.
[
It has narrow, linear, grey-green or pale green leaves, that grow up to long and 2–3 mm wide.][ The leaves taper to a point.][ The leaves have 2–3 longitudinal veins.][
It has simple flowering stem, that grow up to long and 2 mm wide.][
The stems have 3 spathes (leaves of the flower bud), that are green, narrow, lanceolate, they end in a point (acuminate) and long and 6–8 mm wide.][
The stem (and branch) hold between 1 and 2 flowers,][ which bloom between May and June.][
The flowers are in diameter,][ and come in shades of violet,][ or blue purple.][
It has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large ]sepals
A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...
(outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals), known as the 'standards'.[ In the middle of the falls, is a serrated, crest surrounded by blue and white stripes or blotches.][ The petals are curved toward centre of flower.][ The claw (part of the petal closest to the stem) is similar to a gutter.][ The standards are narrowly, ovate or broadly lanceolate, and are long and 1.5 cm wide.][
It has broad or flat and wide, style branches, which are long and 1.5 cm wide.][ It has wide lobes on the end and have toothed edges. They arch up towards the centre of the flower.][
After the iris has flowered, it produces a seed capsule, between July and September.][ The seeds have not been described.
]
Taxonomy
It has the common name of ''wide-style iris'',Pidgin
A pidgin , or pidgin language, is a grammatically simplified means of communication that develops between two or more groups of people that do not have a language in common: typically, its vocabulary and grammar are limited and often drawn from s ...
Chinese.[
The Latin ]specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''latistyla'' refers to a combination of 2 words, ''lati'' from 'latus' meaning broad and wide and style.
It was first published and described by Yu Tang Zhao in 'Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica' (Acta Phytotax. Sin. in Beijing) Vol.18 Issue1 page61 in 1980.[ Due to the iris being found in China, it is more likely to be a Lophiris crested iris, but a molecular study has supported a position within '' Iris subg. Nepalensis''.][Jinyan Guo and Carol A. Wilson. Molecular Phylogeny of Crested ''Iris'' Based on Five Plastid Markers (Iridaceae). Systematic Botany 38(4):987–995. 2013]
It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area. ARS is charged with ext ...
on 4 April 2003, and then updated on 29 September 2008.[
]
Distribution and habitat
It is native temperate areas of Asia.[
]
Range
It has been found in Tibet.[
It has also been found in Chinese province of Xizang.][
]
Habitat
It grows in forest margins and in grasslands near paddy fields.[
It grows at altitudes of between above sea level.][
It has been found in the semi-humid region of the ]Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, northeast India, and Bangladesh. It is also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, Luit in Assamese, and Jamuna River in Bangla. It ...
valley, within forests, by forest edges and on valley terraces.[
]
References
Sources
*Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 202.
*Waddick, J. W. & Zhao Yu-tang. 1992. Iris of China.
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10951618
latistyla
Plants described in 1980
Flora of Asia
Flora of Tibet
Flora of China