2. Belamcanda Adanson, Fam. Pl. 2: 60, 524. 1763; as "Belamkanda", nom. cons.
射干属 she gan shu
Pardanthus Ker Gawler.
Herbs perennial, rhizomatous. Rhizome knobbly. Aerial stem well developed, erect, leafy. Leaves cauline, 2-ranked, oriented edgewise to aerial stem, sword-shaped. Inflorescence a ± dichotomously branched panicle of rhipidia. Perianth tube short; segments ± similar, outer ones somewhat larger than inner. Stamens inserted at base of perianth segments. Style 1, slender, 3-lobed at apex. Capsule obovoid or ellipsoid. Seeds black, glossy.
One species: Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, Vietnam, and probably elsewhere in SE Asia.
Belamcanda might be better placed in Iris: chromosomal, gene sequence, and gross morphological data all show it to be the closest relative of Iris dichotoma.
