Iris virginica

Iris virginica, with the common name Virginia iris, is a perennial species of flowering plant, native to eastern North America.

Iris virginica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Limniris
Section: Iris sect. Limniris
Series: Iris ser. Laevigatae
Species:
I. virginica
Binomial name
Iris virginica
Synonyms[1]
  • Iris caroliniana S.Watson
  • Iris convoluta Raf.
  • Iris georgiana Britton
  • Iris shrevei Small
  • Iris versicolor var. shrevei (Small) B.Boivin
  • Iris versicolor var. virginica (L.) Baker
  • Iris versicolor f. virginica (L.) Voss
  • Iris virginica var. shrevei (Small) E.S.Anderson
  • Iris virginica var. virginica (none known)
  • Limniris virginica (L.) Rodion.
  • Xiphion virginicum (L.) Alef.

It is common along the coastal plain from Florida to Georgia in the Southeastern United States.[2]

It is one of the three Iris species in the Iris flower data set outlined by Ronald Fisher in his 1936 paper "The use of multiple measurements in taxonomic problems" as an example of linear discriminant analysis.[3]

Description

Iris virginica is a perennial plant. The plant has 2 to 4 erect or arching, bright green, lance-shaped leaves that are flattened into one plane at the base. Leaves are 1–3 cm (1⁄2–1 1⁄4 in) wide and are sometimes longer than the flower stalk. The fleshy roots (1–2 cm or 1⁄2–3⁄4 in in diameter) are rhizomes that spread underground. Pale brown, variably shaped seeds are born in three-part fruit capsules (3–6 cm or 1 1⁄4–2 1⁄4 in long, 1–2 cm or 1⁄2–3⁄4 in wide).[4]

The slightly fragrant flowers (4 cm or 1 1⁄2 in long, 7 cm or 2 3⁄4 in across) consist of 3 horizontal sepals, or "falls", and 3 erect petals. The petals and sepals can vary in color from dark-violet to pinkish-white. The sepals have a splash of yellow to yellow-orange at the crest. Each plant has 2 to 6 flowers that bloom from April to May upon a single, erect, 30–90 cm (12–35 in) tall stalk. The stalk is sometimes branched and has a slight zigzag appearance.[4]

Uses

The Cherokee use this medicinal plant for traditional medicinal uses. The root is pounded into a paste that is used as a salve for the skin. An infusion made from the root is used to treat ailments of the liver, and a decoction of the root is used to treat "yellowish urine".[5][6]

It may be one of the Iris species used by the Seminole to treat "shock following alligator-bite".[2]

References
  1. "Iris virginica". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 13 April 2015 – via The Plant List.
  2. "Iris virginica". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA.
  3. R. A. Fisher (1936). "The use of multiple measurements in taxonomic problems" (PDF). Annals of Eugenics. 7 (2): 179–188. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1809.1936.tb02137.x. hdl:2440/15227.
  4. Missouri Botanical Garden: Iris virginica
  5. The University of Michigan at Dearborn: Native American Ethnobotany of Iris virginica
  6. Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey 1975 Cherokee Plants and Their Uses -- A 400 Year History. Sylva, N.C. Herald Publishing Co. (p. 41)
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