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Iris family
Iridaceae
アヤメ科
A family including irises, Japanese water irises, crocuses, and gladioli. Characterized by the iris-type flower in which outer and inner tepals differ in shape. About 66 genera and 2,200 species are known worldwide, with approximately 15 species native to Japan.
Key Characteristics
- ●Three outer tepals and three inner tepals differ in shape (especially in genus Iris)
- ●Three stamens
- ●Leaves are flat and distichous (arranged in a fan shape)
- ●Often possess bulbs, rhizomes, or corms
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Shrub / Herb
Evergreen/Deciduous
Evergreen / Deciduous
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Aromatic
Foetid / None
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic / Zygomorphic
Petal count
6 petals
Ovary position
Inferior / Superior
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Asparagales > Iridaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (from about 80 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Pollination specialization through tepal differentiation (functional division between outer and inner tepals)
- ・Adaptation to seasonally unfavorable environments through bulbs and corms
Plants in Iris family on this site
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