Iris wattii - Ukhrul Bamboo Iris

Ukhrul Bamboo Iris is a perennial herb with rhizomes thick, about 1 cm in diameter, nodes distinct. It is is named after Sir George Watt (1851-1930), who first collected it from Khangkhui hill in Ukhrul distt of Manipur. Stems are 50-100 x 1-1.5 cm, flattened, with prominent scars and bases of old leaf sheaths. Leaves are 10 or more clustered into a branch-end fan, yellowish green, broadly sword-shaped, 50-70 x 5-7 cm, veins about 10, tip tapering. Flowering stems with 5-7 short, stout branches near tip, 30-50 cm; spathes 3-5, green, narrowly ovate, 1.5-2.5 x about 1 cm, 2-6-flowered, tip blunt. Flowers are bluish violet, 7.5-8 cm in diameter, flower-stalks 1.5-3 cm, stout, persistent. Perianth tube is about 2 cm; outer segments obovate, mottled darker, or with linear patterns around irregular, yellowish crest, 4.5-6 x 2.4-4 cm, margin wavy; inner segments spreading, narrowly obovate, 3.5-4 x 1-1.3 cm. Stamens are about 3 cm; anthers yellow. Ovary is green, 7-8 mm. Style branches pale blue, 3-3.5 cm x 8-10 mm; at branch-ends lobes fringed. Capsule is cylindric, 2.8-4.5 x 1.3-1.5 cm, tip with a short sharp point but not beaked. Seeds are brown, semiround. Ukhrul Bamboo Iris is found in Xizang, Yunnan, NE India, Myanmar. Flowering: April-June.