Iris pseudacorus
| Iris pseudacorus | |
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Scientific classification
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Iris |
| Subgenus: | Irissubg.Limniris |
| Section: | Irissect.Limniris |
| Series: | Irisser.Laevigatae |
| Species: | I. pseudacorus
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| Binomial name | |
| Iris pseudacorus | |
| Synonyms | |
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List of synonyms
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Iris pseudacorus,theyellow flag,yellow iris,orwater flag,is aspeciesofflowering plantin thefamilyIridaceae.It isnativeto Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Itsspecific epithetpseudacorusmeans "false acorus", referring to the similarity of its leaves to those ofAcorus calamus(sweet flag), as they have a prominently veined mid-rib and sword-like shape. However, the two plants are not closely related.
Description
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Thisherbaceousfloweringperennial plantgrows to 100–150 cm (39–59 in), or a rare 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall, with erect leaves up to 90 cm (35 in) long and 3 cm (1.2 in) broad. The flowers are bright yellow, 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in) across, with the typical iris form. The fruit is a drycapsule4–7 cm (1.6–2.8 in) long, containing numerous pale brown seeds.
I. pseudacorusgrows best in very wet conditions, and is common in wetlands, where it tolerates submersion, lowpH,andanoxicsoils. The plant spreads quickly, by bothrhizomeand water-dispersed seed. It fills a similarnicheto that ofTyphaand often grows with it, though usually in shallower water. While it is primarily an aquatic or marginal plant, the rhizomes can survive prolonged dry conditions.
LargeI. pseudacorusstands in western Scotland form a very important feeding and breeding habitat for the endangeredcorncrake.
I. pseudacorusis one of two iris species native to the United Kingdom, the other beingIris foetidissima(stinking iris).
Nectar production
[edit]The plant was rated in second place for per day nectar production per flower in aUKplants survey conducted by the AgriLand project, which is supported by the UK Insect Pollinators Initiative. However, when number of flowers per floral unit, flower abundance, andphenologywere taken into account, it dropped out of the top 10 for most nectar per unit cover per year, as did all plants that placed in the top ten, with the exception of common comfrey,Symphytum officinale.[2]
Cultivation
[edit]It is widely planted intemperateregions as an ornamental plant,[3]with severalcultivarsselected forbog gardenplanting. The following cultivars have gained theRoyal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit:[4]
Other cultivars known include;Alba(with pale cream flowers) andGolden Fleece(with dark yellow flowers).[7]
It used to grow in the ditch of the fortified city ofMdina,on theisland of Malta,where water was readily available, but after the renovation of the ditch it has since vanished from the area.[8]
Invasive species
[edit]In some regions (including the US andSouth Africa)[9]where it is not native, it has escaped from cultivation to establish itself as aninvasiveaquatic plantwhich can create dense, monotypic stands, outcompeting other plants in the ecosystem. Where it is invasive, it is tough to remove on a large scale. Even ploughing the rhizomes is often ineffective. It has been banned in some areas but is still widely sold in others for use in gardens.[10]
Iris pseudacorusis reported as invasive inConnecticut,Delaware,Maryland,New Hampshire,New Jersey,North Carolina,Oregon,Tennessee,Virginia,Vermont,Washington,Wisconsin,andWest Virginia.[11]
| State/Province | First Observed |
|---|---|
| IL | 2009 |
| IN | 1982 |
| MI | 1932 |
| MN | 2008 |
| NY | 1882 |
| OH | 2013 |
| PA | 1954 |
| VT | 1909 |
| WI | 2005 |
Relationship tofleur-de-lis
[edit]According toPierre Augustin Boissier de Sauvages,an 18th-century Frenchnaturalistandlexicographer,the namefleur-de-lisapplied to theheraldicsymbol may be related toIris pseudacorusrather than to a lily, based on the shape and yellow colour of the flower.[12]
Toxicity and uses
[edit]The plant's roots and leaves are poisonous.[13]
This plant has been used as a form of water treatment since it can take up macronutrients (such asnitrogenandphosphorus) through its roots,[14]and is featured in many AS Level Biology practicals as its ability to grow in low pH levels makes it a useful indicator.[citation needed]
It can also withstand high salinity levels in the water.[15]
Gallery
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Closeup -
Iris pseudacorus -
Flower -
Iris pseudacorus -
Fruit -
Whole plants
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Iris pseudacorus L. is an accepted name".theplantlist.org (The Plant List). 23 March 2013.Retrieved14 April2015.
- ^"Which flowers are the best source of nectar?".Conservation Grade. 2014-10-15. Archived fromthe originalon 2019-12-14.Retrieved2017-10-18.
- ^"RHS Plant Selector -Iris pseudacorus".Retrieved24 June2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^"AGM Plants - Ornamental"(PDF).Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 53.Retrieved13 March2018.
- ^"Roy Davidson".RHS.Retrieved25 September2020.
- ^"RHS Plant Selector -Iris pseudacorus'Variegata'".Retrieved7 September2020.
- ^abSpencer-Jones, Rae; Cuttle, Sarah (2005).Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland.London: Kyle Cathie Limited. p. 88.ISBN9781856265034.
- ^Schembri, Patrick J.; Baldacchino, Alfred E. (2011).Ilma, Blat u Hajja: Is-Sisien tal-Ambjent Naturali Malti(in Maltese). Malta University Press. p. 81.ISBN978-99909-44-48-8.
- ^Mostert, Esther; Weaver, Kim (eds.)."Centre for Biological Control Annual Report 2019"(PDF).Centre for Biological Control,Rhodes University.
- ^McIntosh, Jamie (21 June 2021)."9 Top Types of Iris for the Flower Garden".The Spruce.Retrieved29 July2021.
- ^Laboratory, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research."NOAA National Center for Research on Aquatic Invasive Species (NCRAIS)".nas.er.usgs.gov.Retrieved2022-06-14.
- ^Pierre Augustin Boissier de Sauvages (1756).Languedocien Dictionnaire François(in French). pp. 153–154.Retrieved27 July2013.
- ^Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982].Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods.New York:Sterling.p. 261.ISBN978-1-4027-6715-9.OCLC244766414.
- ^Mohseni-Bandpei, A. (2010). "Nitrogen and phosphorus removal from wastewater by subsurface wetlands planted with Iris pseudacorus".Ecological Engineering.36(6): 777–782.Bibcode:2010EcEng..36..777Y.doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.02.002.
- ^Zhao, Huilin; Wang, Fen; Ji, Min (2015). "Brackish Eutrophic Water Treatment by Iris pseudacorus L.-Planted Microcosms: Physiological Responses of Iris pseudacorus L. to Salinity".International Journal of Phytoremediation.17(9): 814–821.Bibcode:2015IJPhy..17..814Z.doi:10.1080/15226514.2014.981240.PMID25529785.S2CID30542002.
External links
[edit]- Plants for a Future:Iris pseudacorus
- "Iris pseudacorus".Germplasm Resources Information Network.Agricultural Research Service,United States Department of Agriculture.
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