Iris tuberosa

Iris tuberosa (formerly Hermodactylus tuberosus) is a species of non-rhizomatous plant of the genus Iris, with the common names snake's-head,[2] snake's-head iris,[3] widow iris, black iris, or velvet flower-de-luce.

Iris tuberosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Iridaceae
Genus:	Iris
Subgenus:	Iris subg. Hermodactyloides
Section:	Iris sect. Reticulatae
Species:	I. tuberosa
Binomial name
Iris tuberosa L.
Synonyms[1]
Hermodactylus tuberosus (L.) Mill.

Iris tuberosa

Iris tuberosa

Distribution

A native of the Mediterranean region, it is found in the northern Mediterranean littoral and western Europe.[4]

Cultivation

It is grown from tuberous bulbs planted in the autumn. It grows best in full sun to partial shade, and requires well-drained soil. It can naturalise in grassy areas but grows well in rock gardens or containers.[5] It is a common ornamental garden plant, flowering in early spring. It is rather tender in the UK.[6]

Taxonomic history

After being split off from the genus Iris in the nineteenth century into a separate genus,[7] Hermodactylus, it has most recently been returned to the genus Iris,[8][9] following molecular studies at Kew.[10] According to the proposed molecular classification of irises of Tillie, Chase and Hall,[10] this species is now best seen as a member of the subgenus Hermodactyloides, the reticulate-bulbed bulbous irises.

References

1. GBIF: Hermodactylus tuberosus
2. Thomas Ignatius M. Forster (1828)Circle of the seasons, and perpetual key to the calendar and almanack, p. 162, at Google Books
3. "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
4. Schede di botanica : Hermodactylus tuberosus (L.) Salisb.
5. Paghat's Garden Paghat's Garden: Snake's-head or Widow Iris
6. Caledonian Horticultural Society, Edinburgh Memoirs, Volume 3 (1823), p. 251, at Google Books
7. David Joyce: The Genus Iris
8. Pacific Bulb Society
9. "Is It Clear, My Friend?". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Retrieved 3 Sep 2011.
10. Tillie N, Chase MW, Hall T. 2002 Molecular studies in the genus Iris L.: a preliminary study. Ann. Bot. n.s. (Italy) 1. (2): 105-112 (2001)

Bibliography

• Telegraph: How to grow Hermodactylus
• Manning, John; Goldblatt, Peter (2008). The Iris Family: Natural History & Classification. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. pp. 204–207. ISBN 978-0-88192-897-6.
• Goldblatt, P., (1990) Phylogeny and classification of Iridaceae. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 77:607-627.
• Reeves, G., Chase, M.W., Goldblatt, P., Rudall, P., Fay, M.F., Cox, A.V., LeJeune, B., & Souza-Chies, T., (2001). Molecular systematics of Iridaceae: Evidence from four plastid DNA regions. Am. J. Bot. 88:2074-2087.
• Iridaceae: in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval