Iris chrysophylla Howell

Iris chrysophylla hybridizes with I. bracteata, I. douglasiana, I. innominata, I. macrosiphon, I. purdyi, I. tenax, and I. tenuissima.

Rhizomes compact, dark brown, slender, 0.5–0.6 cm diam., covered with old leaf bases; roots few, fibrous. Stems simple, solid, slender, 0.25–2 dm. Leaves: basal with blade light green, pink or red-tinged basally, finely ribbed, linear-acute, 2.5–5 dm × 0.3–0.5 cm, somewhat glaucous, margins not thickened; cauline 1–3, imbricated, blade bractlike, inflated. Inflorescence units usually 2–flowered; spathes sometimes flushed pink or purple apically, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 5–10 cm × 3–7 mm, unequal, outer much shorter and narrower than inner, herbaceous, margins often scarious, apex acute. Flowers: perianth cream or very pale yellow, with deeper yellow or lavender veins; floral tube linear, slender, 4.5–12 cm; sepals with bluish tinge and veins, oblanceolate, 4.6–7 × 1–2 cm, base gradually attenuate; petals lanceolate, 3–5.5 × 0.6–1.2 cm, base gradually attenuate, apex emarginate; ovary 1–1.8 cm, base abruptly attenuate into pedicel (when present), apex gradually acuminate into floral tube; style 2–3 cm, crests 1.5–2 cm, sometimes exceeding arms, apex narrowly pointed; stigmas tongue-shaped, margins entire; pedicel absent or 0.5–1 cm at anthesis. Capsules sometimes on elongated pedicel, oblong, round in cross section, sharply beaked, 2–3 cm. Seeds buff, slightly compressed. 2n = 40.

Flowering Apr--Jun. Open, coniferous forests; Calif., Oreg.