Flora of New Zealand Series

Bearded Iris

Fig. 21

Plants stout. Rhizome thick, to 5 cm diam., grey-brown. Leaves ± glaucous, thick, curved, to c. 5 cm wide, much < stems. Stems stout, to 1 m high. Inflorescence usually with 2 terminal flowers and one longer and one shorter lateral 1-2-flowered branch; spathe-valves scarious, nerved. Flowers large, to 15 cm diam., ± sessile, purplish, scented; tube relatively long green, funnel-shaped; outer segments ± 8 × 6 cm, recurved, ovate-cuneate, purplish, lighter coloured at base, veins brown-purple, yellow beard on upper surface in centre of lower half; inner segments ± = outer, erect and incurved, light purple. Style-branches broadly spathulate. Capsule not seen.

N. North Auckland - Bay of Islands; Auckland City; Wellington - Lower Hutt. S. Canterbury - Broadfields, Norwood, Ashburton; Otago - Cromwell; Southland - Bluff Hill.

(Origin doubtful; frequently cultivated and often naturalised but no undoubtedly wild specimens are known)

First record: Kirk 1869b: 157.

First collection: Bay of Islands, T. Kirk, undated [possibly 1868 or 1869] (WELT 44264).

Fl. 11.

The albino form of I germanica is also found naturalised in New Zealand.