Iris anguifuga - pseudo-bulbous??
James Waddick (Tue, 03 May 2011 07:16:04 PDT)

Dear Dennis... since you asked...

Yes I. anguifuga has a number of tricks up its sleeve. If you
dig the plant in bloom, you'll find what looks like a husky rhizome,
but as it goes dormant over summer the rhizome shrinks back to a very
short stubby 'rhizome' with a terminal bud that sort of looks like a
typical bulb. This reserve is able to produce the fall leaf growth.
Presumably between the initiation of foliage in fall and the
withering of flowers in spring, the rhizome is able to extend its
growth and look perfectly normal again by spring.

If you , like me, wonder how the genus Iris can include both
rhizomateous and bulbous species, this one gives you some insight
into how one anatomy can change to another.

Oddly this species does not live in a climate that has
weather extremes or drought. Wonder where this odd change of form
arose.

I find this all extremely interesting stuff. Best
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 +