Iris ser. Tripetalae

Iris ser. Tripetalae
Iris setosa
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. Tripetalae
(Diels) G.H.M.Lawr.

Iris ser. Tripetalae is a series of the genus Iris, in Iris subg. Limniris.

The series was first classified by Ludwig Diels in 'Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien' (Edited by H. G. A. Engler and K. Prantl) in 1930. It was further expanded by George Hill Mathewson Lawrence in Gentes Herb (written in Dutch) in 1953.

The name of the series comes from the three petals of the flowers of the species in the series.

It has been theorised that the formation of the ice caps during the last ice age, led to the split of Iris tridentata from other forms in North America.

Most have small standards and violet-blue flowers, with darker veins on the large falls.

Only, Iris setosa is in cultivation, in the UK, and in the US.

They prefer lime-free soils and moist conditions. They are often used in hybridising with species of Iris ser. Sibiricae or Iris ser. Californicae.

Includes;

ImageScientific nameDistribution
Iris hookeri Penny – Hooker's irisNortheastern United States and also eastern Canada.
Iris setosa Pallas ex Link – beachhead irisAlaska, Maine, Canada (including British Columbia, Newfoundland, Quebec and Yukon), Russia (including Siberia), northeastern Asia, China, Korea and southwards to Japan
Iris tridentata Pursh – savanna irisSoutheastern United States