Neomarica -stumbling toward ID
James Waddick (Tue, 05 Jun 2007 06:55:43 PDT)

Dear friends-

I am still wishing for something vaguely definitive in
identifying Neomarica sp - a key perhaps.

I) "The European Garden Flora" has the following key (paraphrased):

1a Outer perianth segments yellow N. brachypus (A)
1b Outer segments, blue, white or lilac -2

2a Leaves ribbed, outer perianth white, styles 2 part
-3
2b Leaves not ribbed, outer perianth blue to lilac,
styles 3 part N. coerulea

3a Plants to 90 cm, flowers 6-10 cm N. northiana (A)
3b Plants to 60 cm, flowers to 5 cm N. gracilis

(A) But this and all yellow-flowered species such as northiana,
longifolia etc are now in 'some other genus' - Trimezia?

II) According to Dave and PBS wiki

Outer perianth blue N. coerulea Fruit opens
longitudinally

N. sp Fruit opens only at superior
end ( same as N. sabini?)

Outer perianth white N. candida ( 40 cm tall)
N. northiana (80 cm tall)
N. gracilis - w/ long peduncles

Where's N. sabini?

III) It is beginning to make some sense to me... well, almost.

Flowers yellow Genus Trimezia
Flowers (outer perianth segments) , white or blue Genus
Neomarica 4 species ? ( or 7 species?)

Outer perianth segments blue/lilac N. coerulea
Uncertain N. sabini

Outer perianth segments white- to 60 cm elongate
peduncles N gracilis
- to 40 cm peduncles not
elongate(?) N candida

IV) But Lee Poulsen submitted pix from Brazil of N. glauca, N.
pardina. N. pulchella, and N. sabini

Thanks to all. Jim W.

--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +