Appearance
It has slender, short, hard rhizomes.They can have many branches creating dense tufts, clumps or tussocks of plants.
It has narrow grass-like foliage.
They can grow up to between 30–100 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm wide.
The leaves can be shiny, and bright green above, and pale grey-green below. Some plants can have dark green leaves.
They have strongly, visible longitudinal veins.
The leaves are longer than the flowering stems.
After the plant has flowered, the foliage has the tendency to extend. Later, the deciduous foliage, dies back during the winter. ref name=botanycz/>
''Iris graminea'' has a flattened stem, with distinct edges.
That grows up to between 10–60 cm long.
The stems have 1-2 spathes , which are unequal in size. The lower is larger and rather leaf-like.
The stems hold 1-2 terminal flowers, blooming between spring, and summer, between May and June.
The stems are normally, unbranched, but , the pedicel, is up to 6 cm long.
The large flowers are 6–8 cm in diameter, they are larger than ''Iris sintenisii'' flowers. They have a strong scent , which can be variously described as similar to freesias, or fruity, or smell of ripe plums, or apricots, or greengages or between grapes and plum tarts.
The flowers come in a range of shades, from purple, blue-violet, purple violet violet crimson, reddish purple, violet, lavender, and blue.
It has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals , known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals and a small rounded or oval blade. They are 3–5 cm long. The centre of the blade has a pale yellow, or white central area, which is veined with violet, purple, or blue. Some references describe a dark purple area with white veining. The claw is sometimes winged, and tinged with green or brown, or veined deep reddish-purple. The erect, standards are purple blue, or purple, or red-violet, They are 2–5 cm long, with green or brown shade at the base.
It has a long and arching, purple style branch, , and has a dark purple centre stripe. They have a brown base.
It has an ovary with double ridges, a 2 pointed stigma and pollen that is orange-red. It has also has a short perianth tube.
After the iris has flowered, it produces a 3–4 cm long seed capsule, which has a narrowed point.
Inside the capsule, are pear shaped seeds, which are slightly compressed and flattened.
Distribution
It is native to temperate areas of Europe, and Asia.Status
''Iris graminea'' is an 'endangered species' in Czechoslovakia, it is also listed as Vulnerable' in Hungary.In Saxony, it is listed as rare.
It is thought to be extinct in Poland. It was formerly found near Cieszyn.
It has been listed in various Red Data Books.
Habitat
It is native to temperate areas of Europe, and Asia.It is found growing in scrubland, in grass lands, in meadows , in open woods, and in rocky or gravelly soils of the mountains.References:
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