Resolving the Puzzle of (Iridaceae): A Morphological Insight into Its Taxonomy.

Since the early 20th century, (Iridaceae) has been considered a synonym of , a synonym of , or an accepted species. The current concept of in the literature and databases is often applied to yellow-flowered plants with prominently veined rosette leaves, which are diagnostic features of growing in Northeast Asia. Therefore, the objective was to clarify the taxonomic identity of . This study is based on a critical examination of the literature, on the observed morphological characters in the holotype of , and on a morphological comparison of with living plants of and . Additionally, a morphometric comparison of the seed characters was carried out to clarify the morphological distinction among , , and . A careful study demonstrated that the rosette leaf texture and the morphology of the flowering stem, fruit, and seeds of are identical to or within the variation range of . Thus, is morphologically non-distinct from and should be recognized as a taxonomic synonym of the latter. An image of the holotype of is provided along with detailed illustrations of and .