| Classification |
| Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order Type: Basal Angiosperms-Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Family Common Name: Iris Family
Genera: Belamcanda, Crocus, Gladiolus, Iris, Sisyrinchium |
Defining Features: The family
is unique in having showy, petaloid stigmas and three stamens.
Defining Morphology: Floral
Features: Flowers with showy tepals, bisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic.
Ovaries are inferior with axile placentation. Nectaries are present or
lacking. Fruit and Seed Features: Monocotyledon. Fruit a loculicidal capsule.
Vegetative Features: Herbaceous, from rhizomes, bulbs or corms with fibrous
roots. Leaves mostly alternate, basal, usually 2-ranked, and linear to
sword shaped.
Distribution: Worldwide.
Economic Use: The family is
important as the source of the most expensive of spices; saffron, which
comes from the anthers of Crocus sativus. It also contains the cultivated
ornamentals such as crocus, gladiolus, iris and freesia. The root of some
species is used in the making of perfume and cosmetics and is called "Orris
root".
Number of Genera Globally: 78
Number of Species Globally:
1,750
