Iris verna L.

Locations ofIris verna L. in Virginia

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Detail

Family
Iridaceae
Botanical Name
Iris verna L.
Common Name
Dwarf Iris
Synonym(s)
Flora of Virginia Name/Status
Iris verna L. var. smalliana Fernald ex M.E. Edwards + Iris verna L. var. verna
Comments
The map includes all records for the species and its two varieties, which were lumped in previous hard-copy versions of the Atlas. Var. smalliana Fernald, with relatively wide leaves and short, thick, knotty rhizomes, occurs in the mountains and inner Piedmont. Var. verna, with relatively narrow leaves and long, slender, scaly rhizomes, occurs primarily in the Coastal Plain and outer Piedmont. Maps for both varieties are also provided; these are sufficiently complete to illustrate the geographic split. However, many Virginia herbarium specimens are not yet identified to variety.
Habitat
Var. smalliana, the widespread inland variety, occurs in dry, rocky or sandy forests, pine-oak/heath woodlands, and clearings; it is common in the mountains and infrequent in the inner Piedmont. Var. verna, the characteristic coastal variety, occurs in dry to mesic to wet sandy forests, sandhill woodlands, clearings, and roadsides; it is infrequent to locally common in the s. Coastal Plain and rare in the n. Coastal Plain.
Native Status
Native

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