Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

iris family

 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: iris family
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Family Iridaceae, composed of about 1,700 species of perennial herbaceous plants, as well as a few shrubs, in some 80 genera. It is known for ornamentals such as irises (genus Iris), gladioli (see gladiolus), crocuses, and freesias. Irises have swordlike, smooth leaves and bear showy flowers in a great variety of colours and sizes on a smooth stem. Most abundant and diverse in Africa, they are found nearly worldwide across temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones. The underground stems may be rhizomes (e.g., New World Iris species), bulbs (e.g., southwestern European Iris species), or corms (e.g., Gladiolus).

For more information on iris family, visit Britannica.com.

Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more