Tianshan iris

Description

Iris loczyi is a beardless iris in the genus Iris, in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Tenuifoliae of the genus. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from a wide area of Asia, including Afghanistan, Iran (the mountainous parts of Pakistan), Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Tibet and China. It has long thin grey green leaves, long stems and 1 flower in pale violet, blue violet, lavender or light blue. It was once thought to be a form of Iris tenuifolia, especially in China. It has a slender, fibrous, knobbly or gnarled, brown-black rhizome. It forms hard thick, tussocks or clumps of plants. On top of the rhizome are maroon-brown, fibrous (or straw-like), remnants (of last seasons leaves), as sheaths (of the new leaves). It has long and thin, linear, green-grey leaves, measuring 20–40 cm (8–16 in) long and 2-5mm wide. The leaves are sometimes evergreen. It has flower stems, that are 15–30 cm (6–12 in) long. They are sometimes only just above the ground level. It has 3 green, lanceolate, between 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long and 1.5 cm wide, spathes (leaves of the flower bud). The stems hold normally 1, (rarely 2) terminal (top of stem) flowers,blooming in late spring, between April and June. The fragrant,flowers are 4–7 cm (2–3 in) in diameter, and come in shades of pale violet, blue violet,lavender,and light blue. 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 falls are oblanceolate (top wider than the bottom) or slightly obovate, 6 cm (2 in) long and 1–2 cm wide. They are veined with a darker shade and have a white or cream (occasionally yellow), signal area (central area). The single coloured standards are also oblanceolate, erect, 4.5–5 cm (2–2 in) long and 7–8 mm wide. It has a long, slender perianth tube of 10–14 cm (4–6 in) long. It has very short pedicels. It has 2.5 cm long stamens and 1.2 cm ovary. It has short style branches, 4 cm long and 8 mm wide, in similar shades as the standards. After the iris has flowered, it produces a reddish-brown ovoid to cylindric seed capsule, 4–7 cm (2–3 in) long and 2 cm wide between June and September. The capsule has 6 veins, and a short beak-like appendage on the top.