Iris domestica – Belamcanda.
Family Iridaceae.
Now named Iris domestica it is still well known as Belamcanda chinensis.
A common name is Blackberry lily because the seeds resemble those fruit.
A perennial plant growing from superficial orange or pale brown rhizomes.
There are up to 14 flat sword-shaped leaves with sheathing bases.
Leaves are bluish-green, hairless and up to 25 cm long.
In young plants they form a basal fan but older plants develop an above ground stem.
The much branched inflorescence stems are up to 1.5 m high.
They have a white coating that rubs off easily.
Each end branch holds a small cluster of flowers.
There are bracts at the base of each branch and under each flower.
The cup to star-shaped flowers, on pedicels are up to 5 cm across.
There are 6 free tepals in 2 whorls with 3 being smaller.
They are bright orange with red spots.
There are reddish-orange and yellow varieties.
Each flower only lasts one day.
There are 3 symmetrically spaced stamens with bright yellow anthers.
The anthers are basifixed and open outwards via long slits.
The inferior ovary, of 3 fused carpels has 3 locules.
Each locule has numerous ovules.
The style is longer than the stamens and branches into three.
Each branch has a white stigma.
The fruit are ovoid capsules 2.5 cm long.
The 5 mm, spherical black seeds are smooth and shiny.
J.F.
