Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


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Northeast Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Blueflag
Iris versicolor L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Iris (Iridaceae)
Flowering: May-August
Field Marks: The distinguishing features of this erect, blue-flowering iris are the sepals with a greenish-yellow basal blotch and the tuft of fresh leaves that are purple.
Habitat: Deep to shallow marshes, often in standing water, meadows, wet ditches.
Habit: Perennial herb from a stout rhizome.
Stems: Upright, branched or unbranched, up to 3 feet tall, smooth, flattened at base.
Leaves: Elongated, up to 3 feet long, up to 1 1/2 inches wide, smooth, purple at base when first appearing.
Flowers: 1-several in a cluster, subtended by spathe-like bracts, blue, up to 3 inches across.
Sepals: 3, spatula-shaped, up to 3 inches long, blue with a greenish yellow blotch near base, narrowed to a claw at the base, recurved.
Petals: 3, blue, 1/2-2/3 as long as the sepals and more upright or spreading.
Stamens: 3, attached to the base of the sepals, concealed by the styles.
Pistils: Ovary inferior, 3-angled; styles petal-like, arching, 2-lobed, blue.
Fruits: Capsules 3-angled, up to 3 inches long, ovoid to ellipsoid, the inner surface appearing to be varnished.
Notes: The distribution map also includes var. shrevei.

Previous Species -- Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
Return to Species List -- Group 4
Next Species -- Virginia Blueflag (Iris virginica)

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florane/species/4/irisvers.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:14:35 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww55]