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Comments are encouraged and appreciated. We are amateur botanist, and we do make mistakes sometimes with our identifications. We strive to make this a good identifying resource. All comments are moderated by me and may take several days to appear. This is due to the high number of inappropriate comments that have nothing to do with this subject.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata)

Iridaceae (Iris Family)

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

This is a small iris, its clusters of narrow, pointed leaves ranging in height from only 4-16 in. The sepals of the its blue-violet flowers are distinctly marked with a central yellow or white, purple striped band. Crested ridges called beards occur along the band. One (occasionally 2) violet-blue flower with 6 spreading, petal-like parts, atop a short slender stalk.

This is a low iris of southern and midwestern wooded uplands. Dwarf Iris (I. verna) has non-crested sepals, narrower leaves less than 1/2 (1.5 cm) wide, and occurs in peaty soil and pine barrens from New York south to Florida, west to Arkansas, and northeast to Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio.

Iris this is the official state flower of Tennessee.

Photographed: A designated state natural area in Middle TN.

It just doesn't get any prettier than this!
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