| 1 |
Plants with a bulb; leaves channelled, quadrangular or almost cylindrical. |
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(2) |
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Plants usually with a rhizome, leaves flat, sometimes very narrow. |
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(5) |
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| 2 (1) |
Bulb tunics fibrous and netted, leaves 4-sided in section (subgenus Hermodactyloides). |
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1 Iris reticulata |
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Bulb tunics papery to tough and leathery, leaves chanelled (Bulbs usually with thickened fleshy roots; standard much reduced in size); subgenus Scorpiris). |
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(3) |
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| 3 (2) |
Aerial stem much elongated already during flowering, with internodes clearly visible between narrow (3-8 mm broad) leaves. |
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2 Iris aitchisonii |
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Aerial stem either very short or if elongated then internodes ± concealed by comparatively broad leaves. |
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(4) |
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| 4 (3) |
Storage roots long, not markedly swollen. Leaves 6-16 mm broad, with a distinct 0.5-1.0 mm broad white horny margin. Seeds without aril. |
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3 Iris stocksii |
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Storage roots short, swollen. Leaves 1-3 cm broad during flowering. Seeds arillate. |
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4 Iris platyptera |
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| 5 (1) |
Plant with tiny rhizomes and markedly swollen tuber-like as well as fibrous roots (Subgenus Nepalensis). Standard narrowly lanceolate, bent outwards and downwards like fall. |
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5 Iris decora |
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Plant with well developed rhizomes, sometimes slender and stolon-like; roots not swollen and tuber-like (except in section Hexapogon, subgenus Iris). Standard erect. |
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(6) |
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| 6 (5) |
Falls with a distinct beard of fairly long hairs (Subgenus Iris). |
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(7) |
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Falls without an obvious beard but may have coxcomb-like crest, or rarely a fine pubescence of very short unicellular papillae on the haft (Subgenus Limniris). |
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(11) |
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| 7 (6) |
Rhizomes stout, peduncle (aerial stem) unbranched or branched. Falls bearded, hairs on falls multicellular. Seeds non-arillate. |
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(8) |
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Rhizomes compact, non-stoloniferous or very short and knobby, hairs on falls unicellular. Seeds arillate. |
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(9) |
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| 8 (7) |
Bracts green, only a narrow margin scarious, outer one 7-11 cm long. Flowers white or pale lilac-blue. |
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6 Iris kashmiriana |
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Bracts scarious at least in the upper half, outer one up to 5 cm long. Flowers usually violet, many colour forms present. |
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7 Iris germanica |
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| 9 (7) |
Rhizomes very short or knobbly with long straight fleshy roots. Beard present on falls till middle of blade and standards sparsely bearded near base. |
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8 Iris falcifolia |
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Rhizomes compact. Beard present only on falls. |
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(10) |
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| 10 (9) |
Flowers on short (5-12 cm) peduncle (aerial stem); hypanthial tube only 2-3 cm long. Flower colour variable but usually lilac, purple or bluish with darker mottling and albino. |
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9 Iris hookeriana |
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Flowers ± without peduncle (aerial stem) but are carried on long hypanthium tube c. 5.0-7.5 cm long. Flower colour lilac-purple mottled and blotched darker as if infected with virus. |
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10 Iris kemaonensis |
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| 11 (6) |
Crest on falls of flowers absent. |
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(12) |
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Prominent cockscomb-like crest present on the falls of flowers. |
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11 Iris milesii |
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| 12 (11) |
Capsule with 6 ribs running longitudinally, 2 ribs at each of the 3 corners (rather than equally spaced around the capsule. Seeds with a loose papery coat. |
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(13) |
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Capsule not as above. |
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(16) |
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| 13 (12) |
Flowers deep golden yellow; blade of fall longer than haft. |
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12 Iris crocea |
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Flowers not deep golden yellow, blade of fall equal to or shorter than haft. |
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(14) |
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| 14 (13) |
Flowers 4-6 cm in diameter, pale blue varying to greenish lilac; falls 3.5-4.0 cm long, haft narrow, twice as long as blade. |
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13b subsp. sogdiana |
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Flowers >= 6 cm in diameter; white, dingy white yellow or grey purple, sometimes golden yellow or bright deep blue or violet blue. |
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(15) |
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| 15 (14) |
Flowers up to 15 cm in diameter; bright deep blue or violet blue with median yellow stripe; haft equal to or longer than blade. |
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13c subsp. notha |
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Flowers (6)- 7-8 (-10) cm in diameter, white, dingy white-yellow or grey purple, sometimes golden yellow; haft longer than blade |
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13a subsp. halophila |
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| 16 (12) |
Hypanthial tube only 2-3 mm long, so that falls and standards appear almost free. Seeds shiny, smooth, not wrinkled (Series Ensatae). |
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14 Iris lactea |
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Hypanthial tube 4-15 cm long. Seeds wrinkled. |
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(17) |
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| 17 (16) |
Peduncle (flowering stem) well developed at flowering time. Hypanthial tube 4-6 (-12) cm long. |
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15 Iris songarica |
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Peduncle (flowering stem) obsolescent at flowering time. Hypanthial tube 10-15 cm long. |
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16 Iris loczyi |
