Dietes iridioides
Small wild iris
Dietes iridioides, commonly known as the African Iris or Fortnight Lily, is a resilient perennial valued for its striking blooms. Beyond its ornamental appeal, this plant holds significant ethnobotanical importance. Historically, various cultures have utilized its rhizomes in traditional medicine to treat ailments ranging from inflammation to digestive issues.
- Scientific name: Dietes iridioides
- Family: Iridaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized within the order Asparagales and the family Iridaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Dietes.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asparagales | WCVP |
| Family | Iridaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Dietes | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Dietes iridioides, is referred to by several different common names depending on the language and region. In Chinese, it is known as 肖鸢尾 or 离被鸢尾, while in Taiwan, the names 肖鳶尾 and 非洲鳶尾 are commonly used. Additionally, in Japanese, the plant is identified as ディエテス・イリディオイデス.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 肖鸢尾 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 肖鳶尾 | Wikidata |
| ja | ディエテス・イリディオイデス | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 非洲鳶尾 | Wikidata |
| zh | 离被鸢尾 | Wikidata |
| af | Wilde-iris | Wikidata |
| en | Small Wild Iris | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning several distinct regions across the African continent and its surrounding islands. In the Macaronesian region, it can be specifically found growing in Madeira. Moving to the mainland, its distribution extends into West-Central Tropical Africa, particularly within the DR Congo. The species is also present in Northeast Tropical Africa, where it inhabits Ethiopia. Finally, its range reaches East Tropical Africa, encompassing the territories of both Kenya and Tanzania.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Madeira | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Angola | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zambia | WCVP |
Chemicals
Dietes iridioides has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include tannins.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Dietes iridioides has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include high blood pressure.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| high blood pressure | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |