Aristea

Description

Aristea is a genus of evergreen, perennial and rhizomatous species of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described in 1789. The plants can differ in height between about 15 cm (5.9 in) to up to 1½ m and grow from, often woody, rhizomes, short rootstocks, or corm-like bases. The iris-like leaves grow in clumps, tufts or with few together and from the heart of these upright and often flattened stems arise that carry clusters of briefly flowering six-merous, star-symmetrical, mostly blue but rarely purplish to whitish, saucer-shaped blooms, subtended by green to brown or papery sheaths. The genus is distributed in tropical and southern Africa, as well as Madagascar. The genus name is derived from the Greek word arista, meaning "awn". In 2026 a total of 58 species are recognised.