Abstract
The yellow flag iris, Iris pseudacorus L., was recorded for the first time outside of cultivation in South Africa along the Vaal River in Gauteng Province in 2004. The yellow flag iris is native to Eurasia and North Africa and was probably introduced to South Africa as an ornamental plant. We recorded I. pseudacorus in four of the nine provinces of South Africa, with naturalised populations at 24 localities covering an estimated area of about 0.4 ha around rivers, streams, dams and wetlands. While we found it at multiple sites (suggesting the species should be classified as category E in South Africa under the Blackburn scheme), the current planted and naturalised distribution throughout South Africa and neighboring countries is likely to be substantially higher than reported here. Infestations are likely to cause substantial negative impacts as seen elsewhere in the world. The species is currently listed as an eradication target under South African regulations, but the feasibility of control still needs to be determined and given its popularity, eradication from the region looks unlikely.
Highlights
There are about 1036 species of the family Iridaceae native to the southern African region (van Kleunen et al 2007)
I. pseudacorus was recorded in Klein Kariba Resort, Limpopo Province in 2005 and from 2006 to 2014 the species was recorded in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces and more records discovered in Gauteng Province (Figure 3; Table S1)
I. pseudacorus can potentially become a major problem in South Africa by modifying stream ecosystems, outcompeting native plants and forming dense stands if not controlled
Summary
There are about 1036 species of the family Iridaceae native to the southern African region (van Kleunen et al 2007). Iris pseudacorus (Linnaeus, 1753); yellow flag iris, pale yellow iris) is a popular plant used in water gardens and in other ornamental plantings. It has a wide native distribution from North Africa to Siberia (Morgan 2011) and has escaped cultivation in many regions of the United States of America, Canada and New Zealand (Cody 1961; Sutherland 1990; Katharine 2009; USDA 2010). The species was probably introduced to South Africa as an ornamental plant (Jaca 2012)
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