Sikkim Iris

Description

Iris sikkimensis is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris and in the section Pseudoregelia. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from Sikkim (a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayan mountains). It has pale green or light green thin leaves, slender stem (similar height to the leaves), 2 or 3 lilac or purple flowers, with a white beard with orange tips. It is thought to be a hybrid of Iris hookeriana and Iris kumaonensis. It has a slender, gnarled rhizome, which has the fibrous remains of old leaves on the top. It forms clumps of plants. It has pale green, or light green leaves, that can grow up to between 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long (at flowering time), and between 1.2 and 2 cm wide. After flowering, they extend up to between 30–45 cm (12–18 in) long. They are linear, erect, ensiform (sword shaped), and semi-deciduous. It has a slender stem, that can grow up to between 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tall. The stem appears in April, from a tuft of 4 reduced Basal leaf leaves. The stem has pale green, lanceolate spathes (leaves of the flower bud). They are (scarious) membranous, in the top third of the leaf and along the edges. The stems hold 2 or 3 terminal (top of stem) flowers, blooming between March and April. The flowers come in shades of lilac or purple, with a darker mottling. It has a deep purple, trigonal, 3.5–5 cm (1–2 in) long perianth tube, and a 1.2–2 cm long pedicel. 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 falls have an obovate (narrower end at the base) shaped blade, they are 6.2 cm (2 in) long and 2.5 cm wide. The haft (or part of the petal beside the stem) is wedge shaped and white with purple blotching, or marbling. In the centre of the petal is a white beard with orange tips. The erect standards are oblong, 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. They are lighter in colour to the falls, pale mauve, or lilac, with a fainter mottling of a darker shade. It has narrow, deep purple styles, with faint stripes, or pale at the edges, and are 2.5 cm long. The style branch has triangular crests. It has pale violet filaments, bi-lobed stigma and creamy white anthers. It also has a green ovary, that is 2 cm long, mottled and striped purple. After the iris has flowered, it does not produce a seed capsule or seeds. It is thought to be native to temperate Asia.