Iris cathayensis

Iris cathayensis is a beardless iris in the genus "Iris", in the subgenus "Limniris" and in the series "Tenuifoliae" of the genus. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from China. It has grey-green leaves, short stems and violet flowers.
Description.
"Iris cathayensis" has a brown, tough, knobbly rhizome. Which has dark red leaf bases (from last seasons leaves).
It has linear, greyish-green, long and 3 – 4 mm wide at blooming time. It later extends up to long and 6mm wide. The tips of the leaves arch over.
It has very short flowering stems, long.
Sometimes, the stems do not emerge from below ground.
It has between 3–4 green, lanceolate, between long and wide, large spathes (leaves of the flower bud).
It has membranous margins, visible mid-vein and pointed end.
The flowers are in diameter, and come in shades of violet, in April.
It has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals, known as the 'standards'.
The falls are narrowly oblanceolate, long and 5mm wide.
The standards are also narrowly oblanceolate, long and 5mm wide.
It has a 1.5–2 cm long, filiform (thread-like) pedicel, 7–9 cm long perianth tube, 2.8–3.5 cm long stamens, blue anthers and 1.3–1.5 long ovary.
It also has long and 3mm wide, linear style branches, the same colour as the petals.
After the iris has flowered, it produces a seed capsule (not described) between June and August.
Biochemistry.
In 2000, a chemical analysis of 22 species of iris from China was carried out. According to the distribution pattern of isoflavones in the species, they can be separated into 2 groups. One group contains "isoflavonoid aglycons" and the other has "glycosides" and "isoflavonoid aglycons". "Iris cathayensis" Migo and "Iris mandshurica" Pall. are considered intermediate groups between subgen. "Limniris" and "Iris" subg. "Iris".
In 2005, a study was carried out to find out the chemical composition of "Iris cathayensis". Using chromatography and spectroscopic methods, as well as others.
Taxonomy.
It is written as 华夏鸢尾 in Chinese script and known as "hua xia yuan wei" in China.
It has the common name of 'China Iris', or "Cathay Iris".
The Latin specific epithet "cathayensis" refers to "Cathay", the Anglicized version of "Catai" and an alternative name for China.
It was published and described by Hisao Migo, in the 'Journal of the Shanghai Science Institute' Sect.3 Vol.4 on page 140 in 1939.
It was later published in 'Flora of Jiangsu', First Vol. 395, Fig. 712 in 1977.
Distribution and habitat.
"Iris cathayensis" is native to temperate areas of Asia.
Range.
It is found in the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, and Zhejiang.
Habitat.
It is found growing on open hillsides and grasslands, and low-altitude mountain meadow slopes.
Cultivation.
"Iris cathayensis" is not common in cultivation in the UK.
It prefers to grow in sandy soils. It needs to be kept dry during winter, needing the protection of bulb frames, it only needs water during the growing season.