Iris macrosiphon

Iris macrosiphon
Bowltube Iris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Subfamily: Iridoideae
Tribe: Irideae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Limniris
Series: Californicae
Species: I. macrosiphon
Binomial name
Iris macrosiphon
Torr.

Iris macrosiphon, the bowltube iris, is a flowering plant in the iris family, endemic to California in the Cascade Range Foothills, north and central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Inner North Coast Ranges, and San Francisco Bay Area, where it occurs in sunny grasslands, meadows, and open woodlands.

The leaves are very slender, 2.5-5 mm wide, and blue-green in color. The flower is variable, golden yellow to cream or pale lavender to deep blue-purple, generally with darker veins. The flower stems are usually short (less than 25 cm) when in the sun and bear 2 flowers. It blooms in spring.

Uses

Used as a source of fiber by Native Americans. The fiber was used for fish nets, deer snares and other items.

It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant, where it prefers dry summer dormancy, with good drainage.

References

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