Iris albispiritus Small. clade: Phaeiris. Common name: Ghost Iris. Phenology: Late Mar-early Apr. Habitat: Wet pine savannas, prairies. Distribution: S. FL (the type is from near Fort Myers).
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: There are alleged albino forms of I. savannarum. Iris albispiritus is alleged to have a white perianth (except for the yellow crest), and deeply lacerate-toothed style appendages (vs. I. savannarum with a colored perianth and shallowly, blunt-toothed style appendages). See Mavrodiev et al. (2021) for more information.
Other Comments: This taxon is truly a ghost iris, considered extinct by Mavrodiev et al. (2021). John Kunkel Small (1933) makes brief mention that "this species is most common in the lower half of the Florida peninsula." He would scarcely recognize the Florida landscape today.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Phaeiris albispiritus (Small) M.B.Crespo, Mart.-Azorín & Mavrodiev — Crespo, Martínez-Azorín, & Mavrodiev (2015), Mavrodiev et al (2021); < Iris savannarum Small — FNA26; < Iris savannarum Small var. savannarum — K4; Iris albispiritus Small. Basionym: Iris albispiritus Small 1929
Links to other floras: < Iris savannarum - FNA26
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 9
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Horticultural Information
No horticultural data found for this taxon.