Orthrosanthus

Orthrosanthus
Orthrosanthus laxus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Iridaceae
Subfamily:	Iridoideae
Tribe:	Sisyrinchieae
Genus:	Orthrosanthus Sweet
Type species
Orthrosanthus multiflorus Sweet
Synonyms [1]
EveltriaRaf.

Orthrosanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae first described as a genus in 1827. It is native to western and southern Australia and the Americas from Mexico to northwestern Argentina. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

The genus name is derived from the Greek words orthros, meaning "morning", and anthos, meaning "flower". ^[7] They are known commonly as morning irises. ^[8]

Description

These are rhizomatous perennial herbs. The linear to sword-shaped leaves are arranged in a layered fan. The flowers are usually blue, except in one white-flowered species. This genus is closely related to the genus Libertia . The flowers are very similar, but Libertia flowers are usually white. ^[7]

Species ^[1]

• Orthrosanthus acorifolius (Kunth) Ravenna - Colombia, Venezuela
• Orthrosanthus chimboracensis (Kunth) Baker - Chiapas, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northwestern Brazil
• Orthrosanthus exsertus (R.C.Foster) Ravenna - Mexico, Honduras
• Orthrosanthus laxus (Endl.) Benth. - Western Australia
• Orthrosanthus monadelphus Ravenna - southern Mexico, Central America
• Orthrosanthus muelleri Benth. Benth. - Western Australia
• Orthrosanthus multiflorus Sweet - Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria
• Orthrosanthus occissapungus (Ruiz ex Klatt) Diels - Peru, Bolivia, northwestern Argentina
• Orthrosanthus polystachyus Benth. - many-spike orthrosanthus - Western Australia

References

1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
2. Woodson, R.E. & Schery, R.W. (1945). Flora of Panama Part 3, Fasc. 1.. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 32: 34-43.
3. Innes, C. (1985). The World of Iridaceae: 1-407. Holly Gare International Ltd., Ashington.
4. Cooke, D.A. (1986). Flora of Australia 46: i-xii, 1-247. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
5. Henrich, J.E. & Goldblatt, P. (1987). A Review of the New World species of Orthrosanthus Sweet.. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 74: 577-582.
6. Espejo Serna, A. & López-Ferrari, A.R. (1996). Monocotiledóneas Mexicanas: una sinopsis florística 6: 43-59. Mexico City : Consejo Nacional de la Flora de Mexico.
7. Manning, John; Goldblatt, Peter (2008). The Iris Family: Natural History & Classification. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. pp. 216–19. ISBN   978-0-88192-897-6.
8. "Orthrosanthus". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

External links

• Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. "Orthrosanthus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Retrieved 2007-09-10.