Blue Walking Iris, Apostle Plants

Neomarica caerulea (and hybrids)

Neomarica northiana    

(See comments under Trimezia concerning Neomarica longifolia.)

knee-oh-mar-EYE-cah sayr-OO-lee-ah lonj-ah-FOAL-ee-ah

Iridaceae

Explanation of name: Marica was a nymph in Roman mythology. Longifolia means long leaves. Cerulean is deep sky blue.

Taxonomic note:   See discussion of Trimezia below.  A useful reference for Neomarica is: Chukr, N.S. & A. M. Giulietti.  New combinations in the genus Neomarica (Iridaceae) and its segregation from Trimezia on the basis of morphological features.   Novon 11: 376-380. 2001.   Often confused with  Trimezia, true Neomaricas have inflorescence stalks as flat as the leaves, and multiple inflorescence branches arising from single leaves toward the top of the plant.   Trimezia has round or nearly round inflorescence stalks with a more normal branching pattern.

Natural range: Africa

Recognition:  Leaf blades meeting edge-to-edge (equitant), flowering stalk flattened. Flowers yellow with brown basal markings. 

Neomarica gracilis (Herb.) Sprague has flowers 5-6 cm diam., the outer tepals white with brown stripes, the inner tepals much smaller than the outer with brown marking basally and  blue distally.

Neomarica northiana (Schneev.) Sprague is similar but has yellow markings mixed with the brown at the bases of the outer tepals. 

Neomarica caerulea  (Ker Gawl.) Sprague has the inner and outer petals (tepals) blue. 

Landscape uses:  Flowering perennial

Internet source:  http://www.scielo.org.ve/scielo.php?pid=S1316-33612004000200004&script=sci_arttext

http://www.iris-bulbeuses.org/bulletin/144-22.htm#n-c