Dwarf violet iris (Iris verna)
Description
Iris verna, commonly called dwarf violet iris, is a species of herbaceous plant in the iris family (Iridaceae). It is native to the United States, where it is found primarily in the Southeast. It ranges from Maryland, down the eastern coast of the United States to Florida and west to Mississippi, and inland to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio. Its natural habitat is in nutrient-poor acidic soils, in open to semi-shaded woodlands. Iris verna is a small herbaceous perennial. It forms colonies through its deeply-buried underground rhizomes. It blooms in spring and generally has light to deep blue or violet inflorescens, although rare white forms are known. The sepals have a golden yellow signal. It can be distinguished from the similar-looking Iris cristata which occurs over much of its range by a number of characters. Iris verna lacks the crested ridges that are found on the sepals of Iris cristata, and its flowers are strongly fragrant (Iris cristata is not strongly fragrant). In addition, the leaves of Iris verna are narrower and straighter than those of Iris cristata, and it has rhizomes that are deeply buried (as opposed to the shallow rhizomes of Iris cristata).
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Asparagales
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Family: Iridaceae
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Genus: Iris
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