At a Glance
Don’t write Barnard’s Iris off as a delicate flower! Like many irises, Barnard’s Iris is a geophyte, a perennial plant with underground storage tubers that allow it to survive harsh and extreme weather, such as drought, cold or fires. The iris also grows in coarse and rocky areas.
Its delicate white flowers with blue spots are only about one inch in diameter and last just three to four days. The species has a very small population that is endemic to South Africa’s fire-prone shrubland known as fynbos.
At a glance
Taxa
Plants
Geography
South Africa
Status
Critically Endangered
Habitat
Fynbos shrubland
Estimated Population
Approximately 160 individuals
Threats
Crop cultivation; livestock overgrazing; invasive species; potential illegal harvesting for the international horticultural trade
Potential Recovery Actions
Managed propagation
