Iris cristata
Encyclopedia
Iris cristata is a beardless rhizomatous
iris (genus Iris
, subgenus Limniris) native to the eastern United States
, south of where the Wisconsinan
glaciation
spread about 11,000 years ago.
It is a close relative to Iris lacustris (Dwarf Lake Iris
), the only other crested iris native to North America, which, unlike the Crested Iris, is found only in small areas of the Great Lakes
region
that have been glacier
-free for only 11,000 years.
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
iris (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...
, subgenus Limniris) native to the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, south of where the Wisconsinan
Wisconsinan glaciation
The Wisconsin Glacial Episode was the most recent major advance of the North American Laurentide ice sheet. Globally, this advance is known as the last glacial period. The Wisconsin glaciation extended from approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago, between the Eemian interglacial and the current...
glaciation
Glacial period
A glacial period is an interval of time within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate within an ice age...
spread about 11,000 years ago.
It is a close relative to Iris lacustris (Dwarf Lake Iris
Dwarf Lake Iris
The Dwarf Lake Iris is a beardless rhizomatous iris native to the northern shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron....
), the only other crested iris native to North America, which, unlike the Crested Iris, is found only in small areas of the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
region
Great Lakes region (North America)
The Great Lakes region of North America, occasionally known as the Third Coast or the Fresh Coast , includes the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as the Canadian province of Ontario...
that have been glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
-free for only 11,000 years.