Information About

Patersonia




  Name ''Patersonia''
  Regnum Plant ae
  Divisio Magnoliophyta
  Classis Liliopsida
  Ordo Asparagales
  Familia Iridaceae
  Genus '''''Patersonia'''''
  Genus Authority RBr
  Subdivision Ranks Species


Patersonia (or '''Purple flag''') is a genus of the Iridaceae with about 20 species in Australia and at least one in Timor .

They are perennials with basal leaves growing from a woody rhizome that in some species extends above ground to form a short trunk. The leaves are tough and fibrous with various adaptations to conserve moisture: Stomata sunk in grooves, thickened cross-section, marginal hairs or thickened margins.

The flowers appear from between a pair of Bracts on a leafless stem. They have three large outer Tepals that are usually blue to violet, and three tiny inner tepals. There are three Stamens fused at the base to form a tube around the longer style which bears a flattened Stigma .

Several species are grown as garden subjects. They can be propagated by seed or by division.

  • '' Patersonia Fragilis '' comes from sandy coastal heathlands in south-eastern Australia; it has narrow grey-green leaves and pale violet flowers close to the ground.



  • '' Patersonia Occidentalis '' is an iris-like plant to 75 cm tall with blue flowers, widespread in southern Australia.



  • '' Patersonia Umbrosa '' from Western Australia has two colour variants, the typical blue-violet variety, and the yellow-flowered var. ''xanthina'' from the Karri forests.



REFERENCE


Cooke, D.A. (1986) Patersonia. Flora of Australia 46: 13-26. (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra).