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- Iridaceae
- Iris
- Iris hookeri
Iris hookeri — beach-head iris
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
Beach-head iris is endemic to Atlantic coast beaches in Maine and farther north. It is found in areas exposed to salt spray.
Habitat
Coastal beaches (sea beaches)
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Maine
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade length
- 100–520 mm
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- white
- Flower petal length
- 10–20 mm
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence differs from the choices given
- the inflorescence has only one flower on it
- Ovary position
- the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Fruit length
- 20–40 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Axillary bulblets
- there are no bulblets being produced in axils
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached by its base to the filament
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused (the number of carpels equals the number of locules)
- Flower bracts
- there are bracts associated with the flower
- Flower number
- 1–2
- Flower orientation
- the flowers point upward or spread or curve outward
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- white
- Flower petal length
- 10–20 mm
- Flower shape
- the flower is another shape
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Form of style
- the style is branched above the base
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence differs from the choices given
- the inflorescence has only one flower on it
- Marks on petals
- the petals have spots or streaks on them
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of carpels
- 3
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals and/or petals
- there are six petals, sepals or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows abruptly at the base
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal length
- 25–40 mm
- Sepal orientation
-
- the sepals are curved outwards and downwards
- the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the plant
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spathe
-
- the plant does not have a spathe
- the plant has a spathe surrounding the flower spike
- Spathe form
- NA
- Spathe length
- 25–60 mm
- Stamen number
- 3
- Stamen position relative to petals
- the stamens are lined up with the sepals
- Stamen types
- the stamens within a cycle are all similar
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not fused to one another
- Stamens fused outwards
- the stamens are not fused to the petals or tepals
- Style petal-like
- the style is broad and flattened like a petal
- Tepals
- the petals and sepals are similar in size and color
-
Fruits or seeds
- Berry color
- NA
- Fruit compartments
- there are three locules in the fruit
- Fruit length
- 20–40 mm
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Other markings on berry
- NA
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade basal lobes
- the leaf blades do not have basal lobes
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf blade clasps the stem at the base, or the leaf blade goes all the way around the stem, so that the stem appears to pierce the leaf blade
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf blade has a noticeable waxy or powdery bloom
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section
- Leaf blade faces
- the surfaces of the leaf blade are composed of tissues from the abaxial side only
- Leaf blade form
- Fully-formed (i.e., expanded), +/- green leaf blades are found somewhere on the plant
- Leaf blade length
- 100–520 mm
- Leaf blade orientation
- the edge of the leaf blade faces the stem of the plant
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the lateral veins are parallel or slightly arched in the direction of the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 5–14 mm
- Leaf stalk length
- 0 mm
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Stipule twining
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on this plant
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Maine
- Specific habitat
- sea beaches
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the leaves have no particular smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem growth form
- the flowering stem is held upright
- Flowering stem interior
- the flowering stem is solid
- Flowering stem leaves
- there is at least one fully-formed leaf on the flowering stem
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
None
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
4. Iris hookeri Penny ex D. Don N
beach-head iris. Iris canadensis (M. Foster) Peckham; I. setosa Pallas ex Link var. canadensis M. Foster • ME; eastern portion of state. Atlantic coast beaches.