Friday, June 25, 2010

USA - Michigan - State Wildflower


Dwarf Lake Iris, Iris lacustris, is Michigan's state wildflower. It is an endangered species found nowhere in the world except the Great Lakes region, almost exclusively in Northern Michigan near the Lake Huronand Lake Michigan shorelines. It's delicate blue flowers grow on a miniature plant only several inches tall.

Sent by Emily, a postcrosser from Michigan.

This is from Wikipedia : The Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris) is a beardless rhizomatous iris (genus Iris, subgenus Limniris) native to the northern shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

In 1998 it was designated the state wildflower of Michigan, where the vast majority of populations exist. The dwarf lake iris is also found on the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin and the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island in Ontario, as well as on smaller islands in both lakes. Iris lacustris is designated a threatened species by federal, state and provincial laws throughout its range.

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