Goldblatt, P. (1993) Iridaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(4)
Perennial herbs with rhizomes, bulbs or corms. Inflorescence either (1) composed of rhipidia enclosed in leafy to dry bracts (spathes) or (2) consisting of a spike or (3) with flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, with 2 whorls of petaloid tepals which are usually showy and may be free or, more usually, partly united into a perianth tube. Stamens 3. Ovary inferior, 3-locular with axile placentation. Style filiform, usually 3-branched; style branches filiform or broadened, sometimes divided at the apex. Fruit a capsule. Seeds sometimes winged. Worldwide: 82 genera and 1700 species, cosmopolitan, but especially in South Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean and Central and South America. Botswana: 7 genera and 23 taxa. |
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| Genus | Content |
| Afrosolen Goldblatt & J.C.Manning | Image |
| Babiana Ker Gawl. ex Sims | Description |
| Ferraria Burm. ex Mill. | Description, Image |
| Gladiolus L. | Description |
| Hesperantha Ker Gawl. | Description |
| Lapeirousia Pourr. | Description, Image |
| Moraea Mill. | Description |