MORAEA SISYRINCHIUM

This member of the Iridaceae family was given this name by John Bellenden Ker Gawler in 1805. It is found in southern Europe, north Africa and western Asia, growing in a well drained sandy soil with some water and some to lots of sun. The corm can grow to three centimetres in diameter, the entire plant to 30 centimetres in height. The flowers are from pale blue over blue, violet, reddish-blue to dark blue with white and yellow markings.

The genera name is named after Johannes Moraeus, father-in-law of Linnaeus.

The species name from Greek σίσύρα sisyra, 'a cloak of shaggy goat's skin' for the thick covering of coarse fibres which surrounds the corm. Iris collina, Richard Anthony Salisbury, 1804. Diaphane edulis, Richard Anthony Salisbury, 1812. Gynandriris sisyrinchium, Filippo Parlatore, 1854. Xiphion sisyrinchium, Baker, John Gilbert, 1871. Evansia syrtica, Klatt Gynandriris littorea, Jord. Gynandriris maricoides, Nevski. Gynandriris numidica, Jord. Iris aegyptia, Delile. Iris fugax, Ten. Iris involuta, Garzia. Iris libyca, Mattei. Iris maculata, Tod. Iris maricoides, Regel. Iris samaritanii, Heldr. Iris sisyrinchium var. maculata, Fiori Iris syrtica Viv. Iris todaroana, Cif. & Giacom. ex S.Pignatti. Iris zelantea, Parl. Moraea sicula, Tod. Moraea tenoreana, Sweet. Sisyrinchium majus, R.M.Redhead.