Species
Moraea huttonii
Common Name(s)
butterfly iris
Authority
Moraea huttonii (Baker) Oberm.
Family
Iridaceae
Brief Description
Evergreen perennial, with corms; leaves 60-120 cm, somewhat lax, undersurfaces dull, slightly grey-green and different from the shiny green of upper surfaces, marked mid-rib, leaf edges slightly rolled; flower stems erect, branched. The flowers are iris-like, yellow, with three larger outer petals with brown 'eyes' and nectar guides, and three smaller upright inner petals.
Dry capsules shed winged seeds that disperse by wind or water.
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Monocotyledonous Herbs
Synonyms
Dietes huttonii;
Moraea baurii;
Moraea rivularis
Flowering
Oct-Nov (in NZ)
Flower Colours
Brown,Yellow
Fruiting
Capsules with winged seeds
Propagation Technique
Seed or division
Year Naturalised
2018
Origin
South Africa
Reason for Introduction
Ornamental
Life Cycle and Dispersal
Self-established seedlings in driveway, up to 13 m from solitary planted specimen (Whanganui, Dec 2018)
This page last updated on 24 Dec 2018