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Moraea huttonii

Planted in garden, Forres St Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 11/11/2007, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Ripe dehiscing capsule, Garden plant, Virginia Heights, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 16/12/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

View into ripe dehiscing capsule with winged seeds, garden plant, Virginia Heights, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 16/12/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Flowering plant, planted in garden Virginia Heights, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 09/11/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Flowers and a green capsule; garden plant; Virginia Heights, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 29/10/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

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Common names

butterfly iris

Biostatus

Exotic

Conservation status

Not applicable

Structural class

Herbs - Monocots

Simplified 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.

Flower colours

Brown, Yellow

Detailed taxonomy

Genus

Moraea

Family

Iridaceae

Authority

Moraea huttonii (Baker) Oberm.

Synonyms

Dietes huttonii;
Moraea baurii;
Moraea rivularis

Endemic family

Ecology

Flowering

Oct-Nov (in NZ)

Fruiting

Capsules with winged seeds

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)

Propagation technique

Seed or division

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