Iridaceae

MONOCOTYLEDONS

IRIDACEAE - Iris Family

Moraea fugax is one of three species of this southern African genus (of 120 species) recorded as garden escapes. It is an erect, branched plant to 50cm, with strongly-scented, iris-like white flowers with blue markings that open late in the day, and are produced in late spring. It has spread by seed and corms on roadsides and in reserves in the York area. Two other species, M. pavonis and M. vegeta, have been recorded as garden escapes around old settlements on the Swan Coastal Plain.

Moraea fugax , PH

There are about 90 species of Romulea all from southern Africa and arising from corms. Four have been recorded in Western Australia. Their leaves are mostly cylindrical. R. rosea (Guildford grass, onion grass) is by far the most common. The flowers, with petals up to 1.8cm in length, open first at ground level. As they mature, the flower stem elongates and bends over, eventually pushing the seed capsule back under the surrounding vegetation. It is a common lawn and pasture weed and is also ubiquitous in most woodlands, granite rocks, limestone heath and clay wetlands throughout the south-west of the state. There are two varieties, the more common is var. australis, with pale pink flowers, while var. communis has slightly larger magenta flowers.

Romulea rosea , PH

R. flava has yellow flowers with petals up to 1.5cm long and is found in banksia, jarrah, wandoo and tuart woodlands and sedgelands, from Perth to Albany. R. minutiflora has petals up to 9mm long, with more rounded tips than R. rosea. It is found in wandoo woodlands around the Stirling Range. R. obscura is similar to Guildford grass but has orange flowers and is occasionally found in woodlands and heath from Perth to Bunbury.

R. flava , GK

Sisyrinchium exile is an inconspicuous grass-like annual, with flat stems and small, yellow flowers produced in early summer. It is found occasionally in wasteland and tuart woodlands on the Swan Coastal Plain from Perth to Bunbury and is a native of South America. Another species, S. iridifolium,which has blue flowers, has been noted as a garden escape near Hamel, while yet another plant, white-flowered, occurs in swampy ground at Meelup.

Sisyrinchium exile , GK

Iridaceae continued

Back to home page.

Webmaster: Rod Randall

*Moraea fugax* is one of three species of this southern African genus (of 120 species) recorded as garden escapes. It is an erect, branched plant to 50cm, with strongly-scented, iris-like white flowers with blue markings that open late in the day, and are produced in late spring. It has spread by seed and corms on roadsides and in reserves in the York area. Two other species, *M. pavonis* and *M. vegeta*, have been recorded as garden escapes around old settlements on the Swan Coastal Plain.	*Moraea fugax* , PH
There are about 90 species of *Romulea* all from southern Africa and arising from corms. Four have been recorded in Western Australia. Their leaves are mostly cylindrical. *R. rosea* (Guildford grass, onion grass) is by far the most common. The flowers, with petals up to 1.8cm in length, open first at ground level. As they mature, the flower stem elongates and bends over, eventually pushing the seed capsule back under the surrounding vegetation. It is a common lawn and pasture weed and is also ubiquitous in most woodlands, granite rocks, limestone heath and clay wetlands throughout the south-west of the state. There are two varieties, the more common is var. *australis, with pale pink flowers, while var. communis* has slightly larger magenta flowers.	*Romulea rosea* , PH
*R. flava* has yellow flowers with petals up to 1.5cm long and is found in banksia, jarrah, wandoo and tuart woodlands and sedgelands, from Perth to Albany. *R. minutiflora* has petals up to 9mm long, with more rounded tips than R. rosea. It is found in wandoo woodlands around the Stirling Range. R. obscura is similar to Guildford grass but has orange flowers and is occasionally found in woodlands and heath from Perth to Bunbury.	*R. flava* , GK
*Sisyrinchium exile* is an inconspicuous grass-like annual, with flat stems and small, yellow flowers produced in early summer. It is found occasionally in wasteland and tuart woodlands on the Swan Coastal Plain from Perth to Bunbury and is a native of South America. Another species, *S. iridifolium*,which has blue flowers, has been noted as a garden escape near Hamel, while yet another plant, white-flowered, occurs in swampy ground at Meelup.	*Sisyrinchium exile* , GK