Hermodactylus is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of non-rhizomatous plant

Plant

Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...

s of the family Iridaceae

Iridaceae

The Iris family or Iridaceae is a family of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants included in the monocot order Asparagales, taking its name from the genus Iris. Almost worldwide in distribution and one of the most important families in horticulture, it includes more than 2000 species...

, consisting of a single species, Hermodactylus tuberosus. Common names include Snake's-head , Widow Iris, Black Iris, or Velvet Flower-de-Luce.

The genus name is derived from the Greek

Greek language

Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...

 words meaning "Hermes' Finger" in reference to the knarled finger-like appearance of the tuberous bulb. Hermes

Hermes

Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...

 was the messenger of the Gods in Greek Mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...

.

Distribution

Native of the Mediterranean region, it is found in the northern Mediterranean littoral

Littoral

The littoral zone is that part of a sea, lake or river that is close to the shore. In coastal environments the littoral zone extends from the high water mark, which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged. It always includes this intertidal zone and is often used to...

 and western Europe.

Cultivation

Grown from tuberous bulbs planted in the autumn. Hermodactylus grows best in full sun to partial shade, and requires well drained soil. In can naturalise in grassy areas bit grows well in rock gardens or containers.

It is a common ornamental garden plant, flowering in early spring.

Taxonomic history

After being split off from the genus Iris

Iris (plant)

Iris is a genus of 260-300species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species...

 by the nineteenth century, as a separate genus,

Hermodactylus has most recently been returned to the genus Iris

Iris (plant)

Iris is a genus of 260-300species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species...

,
following molecular studies at Kew

Hence its type genus is more properly described by its original name Iris tuberosa L., although still widely described as Hermodactylus tuberosus. According to the proposed molecular classification of iris

Iris (plant)

Iris is a genus of 260-300species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species...

 of Tillie, Chase and Hall

this species is now best seen as a member of the subgenus Hermodactyloides, the reticulate-bulbed bulbous irises.

Species and infrageneric taxa

While six species have been described
(see below) these are more properly considered variants of Iris tuberosa.

• Hermodactylus bispathaceus Sweet
• Hermodactylus calatajeronensis Tod. ex Lojac.
• Hermodactylus longifolius Sweet
• Hermodactylus repens Sweet
• Hermodactylus tuberosus (L.) Mill.
• Hermodactylus tuberosus subsp. longifolius (Sweet) K.Richt.
• Hermodactylus tuberosus var. longifolius (Sweet) Baker
• Hermodactylus zambranii Lojac.

The following are considered as Iris tuberosa var. tuberosa:

• Hermodactylus bispathaceus
• Hermodactylus calatajeronensis
• Hermodactylus repens
• Hermodactylus tuberosus
• Hermodactylus zambranii

while the remainder are allocated to Iris tuberosa var. longifolia