Orthrosanthus

Orthrosanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae first described as a genus in 1827. It is native to western and southern Australia and the Americas from Mexico to northwestern Argentina.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Orthrosanthus
Orthrosanthus laxus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Iridaceae
Subfamily:	Iridoideae
Tribe:	Sisyrinchieae
Genus:	Orthrosanthus Sweet
Type species
Orthrosanthus multiflorus Sweet
Synonyms[1]
Eveltria Raf.

The genus name is derived from the Greek words orthros, meaning "morning", and anthos, meaning "flower".^[7] They are known commonly as morning irises.^[8]

Description

These are rhizomatous perennial herbs. The linear to sword-shaped leaves are arranged in a layered fan. The flowers are usually blue, except in one white-flowered species. This genus is closely related to the genus Libertia. The flowers are very similar, but Libertia flowers are usually white.^[7]

Species^[1]

• Orthrosanthus acorifolius (Kunth) Ravenna - Colombia, Venezuela
• Orthrosanthus chimboracensis (Kunth) Baker - Chiapas, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northwestern Brazil
• Orthrosanthus exsertus (R.C.Foster) Ravenna - Mexico, Honduras
• Orthrosanthus laxus (Endl.) Benth. - Western Australia
• Orthrosanthus monadelphusRavenna - southern Mexico, Central America
• Orthrosanthus muelleri Benth. Benth. - Western Australia
• Orthrosanthus multiflorus Sweet - Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria
• Orthrosanthus occissapungus (Ruiz ex Klatt) Diels - Peru, Bolivia, northwestern Argentina
• Orthrosanthus polystachyus Benth. - many-spike orthrosanthus - Western Australia