Iris macrosiphon explained

Iris macrosiphon, the bowltube iris, is a flowering plant in the iris family, endemic to California in the Cascade Range Foothills, north and central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Inner North Coast Ranges, and San Francisco Bay Area, where it occurs in sunny grasslands, meadows, and open woodlands.^{[1] [2] [3]}

The leaves are very slender, 2.5–5 mm wide, and blue-green in color. The flower is variable, golden yellow to cream or pale lavender to deep blue-purple, generally with darker veins. The flower stems are usually short (less than 25 cm) when in the sun and bear 2 flowers. It blooms in spring.^[4]

Uses

Used as a source of fiber by Native Americans. The fiber was used for fish nets, deer snares and other items.^[5]

It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant, where it prefers dry summer dormancy, with good drainage.

External links

• USDA: Plants Profile:
• Images from the CalPhotos archive:

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1993 . UC/JEPS: Jepson Manual treatment for IRIS macrosiphon . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110709034120/http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Iris+macrosiphon . 2011-07-09 . 2024-10-22 .
2. Web site: 2004-11-06 . ITIS Standard Report Page: Iris macrosiphon . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20041106152130/http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=43220 . 2004-11-06 . 2024-10-22 . itis.usda.gov.
3. Book: Harlow . Nora . Wild Lilies, Irises, and Grasses: Gardening with California Monocots . Jakob . Kristin . 2003 . University of California Press . 978-0-520-23849-7 . en.
4. Web site: Iris macrosiphon in Flora of North America @ efloras.org . 2024-10-22 . www.efloras.org.
5. Web site: 2005-05-24 . GROUND IRIS: NATIVE CALIFORNIAN FIBER PLANT, IRIS MACROSIPHON . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050524160017/http://www.paleotechnics.com/Articles/Irisarticle.html . 2005-05-24 . 2024-10-22 .