Contemporary Circumscription Compared with A Utah Flora 4th ed.

Bio430

Iridaceae

No differences.

Key Features

This family of synoecious perennial herbs are easily distinguished from the Liliaceae by having inferior ovaries, just 3 stamens, and usually equitant leaves.  Plants grow from starchy rhizomes, corms, and bulbs, and the leaves are typically basal (alternate), swordlike, and distichous.  Flowers are often subtended by a bract, and the 3 fused carpels mature into a loculicidal capsule.  Iris’ have neat floral modifications and crocus’ have amazing long hypanthiums.