Iridaceae (Iris Family): Inflorescence

The flowers of Iridaceae family have no green sepals that surrounds the petals. They are colorful tepals (no sepals). A Gladiolus flowers (family: Iridaceae) have petaloid six tepals (three inner and three outer tepals).

This is characteristic for all Iridaceae plants; three stamens attached to the outer tepals, and anthers connected to the filaments at the bottom (basifixed). The style is divided into three sections and the stigmas are flat and slightly enlarged.

<i>Ixia sp.</i> family: Iridaceae — *Ixia sp.* family: Iridaceae

Ixia (family: Iridaceae) flowers showing six white tepals and three basifixed stamens.

<i>Freesia sp.</i> family: Iridaceae — *Freesia sp.* family: Iridaceae

Flagrant Freesia flowers (family: Iridaceae) showing six tepals and three stamens.

<i>Crocus sp.</i> family: Iridaceae — *Crocus sp.* family: Iridaceae

Crocus (family: Iridaceae) flowers and the basifixed three stamens.

<i>Sparaxis sp.</i> family: Iridaceae — *Sparaxis sp.* family: Iridaceae

Bright orange Sparaxis (family: Iridaceae) flowers and the basifixed three stamens.

<i>Iris germanica</i> family: Iridaceae — *Iris germanica* family: Iridaceae

Tepals of <i>Iris sp.</i> family: Iridaceae — Tepals of *Iris sp.* family: Iridaceae

Here is a slightly modified form of an Iridaceae flower (Iris). The six tepals and three basifixed stamens may not be appearent in the Iris flower. The three outer tepals correspond to the 'falls' of the flower, and the three inner tepals 'standards' that stand erect between the outer 'falls' tepals. The three stamens are connected to the outer tepals all right but are hidden from the view, underneath what seem to be tepals on the 'falls'. And finally, the seemingly tepals that covers the stamens actually are the modified forms of the three divided style of the Iridaceae family.

For more information on Iridaceae, visit DELTA description on Iridaceae.