Iridaceae -- the iris family (60-88/1,500; cosmopolitan, most diverse in Africa)
Habit herbs or sometimes shrub-like
Leaves alternate or basal; simple, entire; leaf bases usually equitant; parallel venation
Inflorescences cymes, umbels, spikes, panicles, or flowers solitary; flowers often enclosed or subtended by 1 or more spathes (i.e. bracts)
Special floral characters flowers perfect and showy, regular or irregular, hypanthium usually well-developed; some genera have petaloid stigmas that are situated above a sepal in such a way that the stamen is between the stigma and sepal
Calyx 3 sepals distinct or connate; sometimes resembling the petals
Corolla 3 petals distinct or connate; if unable to distinguish from sepals, the perianth has tepals
Androecium 3 stamens distinct or filaments sometimes connate; ± adnate to hypanthium; anthers basifixed
Gynoecium 3 carpels, connate; inferior (rarely superior) with 3 locules and many axile ovules; style 1, undivided or three-lobed, free or adnate to hypanthium, stigmas sometimes petaloid
Fruit= capsule
(Floral formula: Ca 3 Co 3 A 3 G 3 )