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Iridaceae is a family of plants in Order Asparagales, taking its name from the Irises. It includes a number of other well known cultivated plants, such as the Freesia and the Crocus.

Members of this family are perennials, with a bulb, corm or rhizome. The plants grow erect, and have leaves that are generally grass-like, with a sharp central fold.

Up to 80 genera have been recognised in the family, with a total of around 1500 species, world wide. The Afrotropic ecozone, and in particular South Africa, have the greatest diversity of genera. The spice saffron comes from the stigma of the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus.

Taxonomy

• Subfamily Crocoideae
• Subfamily Iridoideae
  • tribe Irideae
  • tribe Mariceae
  • tribe Sisyrinchieae
  • tribe Tigridieae
• Subfamily Isophysidoideae
• Subfamily Ixioideae
  • tribe Ixieae
  • tribe Pillansieae
  • tribe Watsonieae
• Subfamily Nivenioideae

Genera

• Ainea
• Alophia
• Anapalina
• Anomatheca
• Antholyza
• Aristea
• Babiana , Baboon Flower
• Barnardiella
• Belamcanda
• Bobartia
• Calydorea , Violet-lily
• Cardenanthus
• Chasmanthe , African cornflag
• Cipura
• Cobana
• Crocosmia, Montbretia
• Crocus
• Cypella
• Devia
• Dierama , Fairy-wand
• Dietes , Fortnight Lily, African Iris
• Diplarrhena
• Duthiastrum
• Eleutherine
• Ennealophus
• Eurynotia
• Eustylis
• Ferraria
• Fosteria
• Freesia
• Galaxia
• Geissorhiza
• Gelasine
• Geosiris
• Gladiolus
• Gynandriris
• Herbertia
• Hermodactylus
• Hesperantha
• Hesperoxiphion
• Hexaglottis
• Homeria
• Homoglossum
• Hypoxis
• Iris
• Isophysis
• Ixia , African cornlily
• Kelissa
• Klattia
• Lapeirousia
• Larentia
• Lethia
• Libertia
• Mastigostyla
• Melasphaerula
• Micranthus
• Moraea
• Nemastylis
• Neomarica
• Nivenia
• Olsynium , Grasswidow
• Onira
• Orthrosanthus
• Pardanthopsis
• Patersonia
• Pillansia
• Pseudotrimezia
• Radinosiphon
• Rheome
• Roggeveldia
• Romulea
• Salpingostylis
• Savannosiphon
• Schizostylis
• Sessilanthera
• Sessilistigma
• Sisyrinchium, Blue-eyed Grass, Yellow-eyed Grass
• Solenomelus
• Sparaxis, Wandflower, Harlequin Flower
• Sphenostigma
• Sympa
• Syringodea
• Tapeina
• Thereianthus
• Tigridia Tiger Flower, Mexican Shell Flower
• Trimezia
• Tritonia
• Tritoniopsis
• Tucma
• Watsonia , Bugle-lily
• Witsenia
• Zygotritonia

Reference

• Peter Goldblatt, Ph.D - Phylogeny and classification of Iridaceae. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 77: 607–627. 1990.