Egeria Iris

Description

Iris tenuifolia 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 region over central Asia, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, (the former Soviet Union republics of); Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia and in China. It has long greyish-green leaves, short stem and pale violet, lilac, pale blue, or purple flowers. Iris tenuifolia is very similar in form to the Mediterranean Iris unguicularis. As they both have very small stems and the seed capsules are often hidden within the leaves of the plant. It has a dark brown, thin, short, knobbly, tough, wood-like rhizomes. Underneath, it has a network of fibrous roots. On top of the rhizome, at the base of the leaves, are the brown or red-brown, fibrous remains of the previous seasons leaves. Which act as sheaths, for the new leaves. The sheaths can be up to 6–20 cm (2–8 in) long. It can be either a single plant or can grow into thick clumps of plants. It has greyish-green, linear, twisted, leaves, that can grow between 20–60 cm (8–24 in) long and 1.5–2 mm wide. They do not have a mid-vein but parallel veins, and are acuminate (ending in a point). They continue to grow after blooming, and can end up as a mass of twisted leaves. The leaves are longer than the flowering stems. It has a very short flowering stem or scape, 10–30 cm (4–12 in) long. Although, sometimes the stems do not emerge above ground. It has 2 to 4, pointed (acuminate), membranous, green, between 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and 8–10 mm wide, spathes (leaves of the flower bud). Iris tenuifolia is native to a wide region, of various temperate areas of Central Asia. Which extends from the Volga through Turkestan into Mongolia, and China. It is found in the western Asian countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Also in the middle Asian countries of (the former Soviet Union republics of); Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. Also found in regions of Russia, including Agin-Buryat Okrug, Bashkortostan, Chelyabinsk, Chita and Siberia. It is listed with Iris bloudowii, Iris humilis, Iris ruthenica, Iris sibirica and Iris tigridia as being found in the Altai-Sayan region (where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together).