• Scientific Name: Iris ensata Thunb.
• Ref: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 2:328. 1794
• Synonyms:
  • Iris ensata f. alba Y.N.Lee
  • I. graminea Thunb.
  • I. kaempferi Siebold ex Lem.
  • I. smithii Lynch
  • Limniris ensata (Thunb.) Rodion.
• English Common Name: Japanese iris, Japanese water iris
• Chinese Common Name: 玉蝉花 yùchán∙huā, 紫花鸢尾 zǐhuā yuānwěi, 东北鸢尾 Dōngběi yuānwěi
• Japanese Common Name: ハナショウブ [花菖蒲] hanashōbu
• Family: Iridaceae
• Genus: Iris
• Distribution: Damp areas along rivers and near lakes; 400–1700 m. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, Russia].
• Photo: 06/10/2016, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Rhizomes creeping, thick. Leaves linear, 30--80 cm × 5--12 mm, midvein distinct on both surfaces, apex acuminate. Flowering stems 25--100 cm, solid, 1--3-leaved; spathes 3, lanceolate, unequal, 4.5--7.5 × 0.8--1.2 cm, leathery, 2-flowered, veins distinct, raised, basal spathe shorter, apex usually acute, apical spathe longer, apex usually obtuse. Flowers dark reddish purple, 9--10 cm in diam.; pedicel 1.5--3.5 cm. Perianth tube 1.5--2 cm; outer segments obovate, mottled yellow at center, 7--8.5 × 3--3.5 cm; inner segments erect, narrowly lanceolate, ca. 5 cm × 5--6 mm. Stamens ca. 3.5 cm; anthers purple. Ovary cylindric, 1.5--2 cm × ca. 3 mm. Style branches purple, ca. 5 cm × 7--10 mm. Capsule ellipsoid, 4.5--5.5 × 1.5--1.8 cm, 6-ribbed, apex shortly beaked. Seeds maroon-brown, semiorbicular, flat. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Aug--Sep. 2 n = 24*. (Flora of China)

06/10/2016, Hangzhou, Zhejiang