Iris tuberosa (formerly Hermodactylus tuberosus) is a species of tuberous flowering plant of the genus Iris, with the common names snake's-head,[4] snake's-head iris,[5] widow iris, black iris, or velvet flower-de-luce.

Iris tuberosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Hermodactyloides
Section: Iris sect. Reticulatae
Species:
I. tuberosa
Binomial name
Iris tuberosa
Synonyms[1][2][3]

Synonyms of Iris tuberosa

  • Hermodactylus tuberosus (L.) Mill.

Synonyms of Iris tuberosa var. tuberosa

  • Hermodactylus bispathaceus Sweet
  • Hermodactylus calatajeronensis Tod. ex Lojac.
  • Hermodactylus repens Sweet
  • Hermodactylus zambranii Lojac.
  • Iris bispathacea (Sweet) Spach

Synonyms of Iris tuberosa var. longifolia (Sweet) ined.

  • Hermodactylus longifolius Sweet
  • Hermodactylus tuberosus subsp. longifolius (Sweet) K.Richt.
  • Iris longifolia (Sweet) Spach
Iris tuberosa
Iris tuberosa

Distribution

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A native of the Mediterranean region, it is found in the northern Mediterranean littoral and western Europe.[6]

It can be found in Albania, France, Greece, and Italy.[7]

Cultivation

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It is grown from tubers planted in the autumn. It grows best in full sun to partial shade, and requires well-drained soil. It can naturalise in grassy areas but grows well in rock gardens or containers.[8] It is a common ornamental garden plant, flowering in early spring. It is rather tender in the UK.[9]

Taxonomic history

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After being split off from the genus Iris in the nineteenth century into a separate genus,[10] Hermodactylus, it has most recently been returned to the genus Iris,[11][12] following molecular studies at Kew.[13] According to the proposed molecular classification of irises of Tillie, Chase and Hall,[13] this species is now best seen as a member of the subgenus Hermodactyloides, the reticulate-bulbed bulbous irises.

References

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  1. ^ GBIF: Hermodactylus tuberosus
  2. ^ "Iris tuberosa var. longifolia (Sweet) ined". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Iris tuberosa var. tuberosa". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  4. ^ Thomas Ignatius M. Forster (1828)Circle of the seasons, and perpetual key to the calendar and almanack, p. 162, at Google Books
  5. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  6. ^ "Plants Profile - Hermodactylus tuberosus (L.) Salisb. (Iridaceae) - Bellavedova - Widow Iris". luirig.altervista.org. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  7. ^ "Iris tuberosa L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  8. ^ Paghat's Garden Paghat's Garden: Snake's-head or Widow Iris
  9. ^ Caledonian Horticultural Society, Edinburgh Memoirs, Volume 3 (1823), p. 251, at Google Books
  10. ^ David Joyce: The Genus Iris
  11. ^ Pacific Bulb Society
  12. ^ "Is It Clear, My Friend?". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Retrieved 3 Sep 2011.
  13. ^ a b Tillie N, Chase MW, Hall T. 2002 Molecular studies in the genus Iris L.: a preliminary study. Ann. Bot. n.s. (Italy) 1. (2): 105–112 (2001)

Bibliography

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