Iris unguicularis
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = P1130476 Iris unguicularis (Iridaceae).JPG
| genus = Iris
| display_parents = 3
| parent = Iris ser. Unguiculares
| species = unguicularis
| authority = Poir.
| synonyms = {{Species list
|Iris stylosa | Desf.
|Iris unguicularis f. lilacina |Spreng. ex André
|Iris unguicularis f. marginata |Spreng. ex André
|Iris unguicularis f. pavonia |Spreng. ex André
|Iris unguicularis f. speciosa |Spreng. ex André
|Iris unguicularis subsp. unguicularis | (unknown)
|Joniris stylosa |(Desf.) Klatt
|Neubeckia stylosa |(Desf.) Alef.
|Siphonostylis unguicularis |(Poir.) Wern.Schulze}}
| synonyms_ref = {{cite web |title=Iris unguicularis Poir. is an accepted name |date= 23 March 2013 |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-322524 |publisher=theplantlist.org (The Plant List)|accessdate=26 January 2015}}
}}
Iris unguicularis (syn. Iris stylosa), the Algerian iris, is a rhizomatous flowering plant in the genus Iris, native to Algeria, Greece, Turkey, Western Syria, and Tunisia. It grows to {{convert|30|cm}}, with grassy evergreen leaves, producing pale lilac or purple flowers with a central band of yellow on the falls. The flowers appear in winter and early spring. They are fragrant, with pronounced perianth tubes up to {{convert|20|cm|abbr=on}} long.{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}}{{cite web|title=AGS Plant Encyclopaedia - Iris unguicularis|url=http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/unguicularis|publisher=Alpine Garden Society|accessdate=20 May 2013}}
This plant is widely cultivated in temperate regions, and numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use, including a slightly more tender white form 'Alba', and a dwarf variety I. unguicularis subsp. cretensis. The cultivar 'Mary Barnard'{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Iris unguicularis 'Mary Barnard'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/98853/Iris-unguicularis-Mary-Barnard/Details | publisher=Royal Horticultural Society | accessdate=20 February 2020}} has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web
| url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017
| page = 55 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | accessdate = 13 March 2018}}
Chemistry
In 2013, a chemical analysis study was carried on Iris loczyi and Iris unguicularis as both plants are known as medicinally important.{{cite journal |last1=Mosihuzzmana |first1=Mohmmed |last2=Naheedb |first2=Suad |last3=Hareema |first3=Sumaira |last4=Taliba |first4=Sumaira |last5=Abbasc |first5=Ghulam |last6=Khana |first6=Shamsun Nahar |last7=Choudharya |first7=Muhammad Iqbal |last8=Sener |first8=Bilge |last9=Tareene |first9=Rasool Baksh |last10=Israra |first10=Mudassir |date=27 February 2013 |title=Studies on α-glucosidase inhibition and anti-glycation potential of Iris loczyi and Iris unguicularis |journal=Life Sciences |publisher=Elsevier |volume=92 |issue=3 |pages= 187–192 |doi= 10.1016/j.lfs.2012.11.022|pmid=23270944 }}Q. Ashton Acton {{Google books|OMdDYmdmnfwC|Glucosidases—Advances in Research and Application: 2013 Edition |page=271}}
The rhizome of Iris unguicularis contains 1,3-O-diferuloylsucrose, 5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxychromone, irilone, 4′,5,7-trihydroxy-6-methoxyflavanone, tectorigenin, kaempferol, 4′,5,7-trihydroxy-3′,8-dimethoxyflavanone, 8-methoxyeriodictyol, hispidulin and mangiferin.New and Known Constituents from Iris unguicularis and Their Antioxidant Activity. Atta-ur-Rahman, Sumaira Hareem, M. Iqbal Choudhary, Bilge Sener, Ahmed Abbaskhan, Hina Siddiqui, Shazia Anjum, Ilkay Orhan, Ilhan Gurbuz and Filiz Ayanoglu, HeteroCycles, 2010, Special issue, Vol 82, No. 1, pages 813-824, {{doi|10.3987/COM-10-S(E)6}}
References
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Category:Plants described in 1789
{{Iridaceae-stub}}