Two-flowered Iris

Description

Iris bicapitata is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the Gargano Peninsula, Italy. It has sickle or pointed leaves, shorter than the flowering stem. It has two flowers, which come in variable shades from yellow, white, lilac, blue and violet. They can also be bi-coloured. It is thought to have been derived from Iris pseudopumila. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. Iris bicapitata is similar in form to Iris germanica but a slightly smaller. It has a thick horizontal, fleshy rhizome. That is similar in form to other bearded irises. It has linear, falcate (sickle shaped), or acuminate (pointed) leaves. They can grow up to between 30–50 cm (12–20 in) long, (they are shorter than the flowering stem,) and around 2.5 cm wide. The tip of the leaves is membranous. It has a slender stem or peduncle, that can grow up to between 30–40 cm (12–16 in) tall. But can reach up to 60 cm (24 in) in cultivation. The stem has carinated (ridged or keeled) spathes (leaves of the flower bud). They have (scarious) membranous or papery tips and violet tinged edges. The stems hold 2 terminal (top of stem) flowers. Although rarely it can have 3 flowers. Compared to other native irises, such as Iris lutescens and Iris pseudopumila who have one flower. The fragrant flowers, (similar to roses, and violets,) bloom between March and May. The flowers are very variable in colour, they are Polymorphism (biology)|polymorphic, they can come in shades from white, yellow, blue, lilac, to violet. They also can be bi-coloured. The flower also can very rarely be pale yellow with violet veins, similar (but less than) to Iris variegata. The most common colour is deep blue violet, or purple blue. The flowers are larger than Iris pseudopumila and Iris revoluta. 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'.  The drooping, sub-ellipsoidal falls are 6–8.5 cm (2–3 in) long and 2–3.5 cm wide. In the centre, they have a beard, which is either blue or white, but tipped with yellow. The shorter, obliquely upright standards, are The tips of the standards are inclined to each other. It has perianth tube that is 4 cm long, and a 1.5 cm long and 1.8 cm wide ovary. It has blue stamens, a 4.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide stigma and filaments longer than the anthers.