Cldiris

Cldiris is a fictional genus of flowering plants described in speculative botany and science fiction. The name combines imagined elements of cloud and iris, referencing its misty montane habitat and iris-like flowers. In the fictional corpus, Cldiris is used to explore adaptive traits of plants living at the edge of cloud forests.

Plants in the genus are herbaceous perennials forming tufted clumps with slender, sword-shaped leaves. They reach up to about 1 meter tall and bear tall flower stalks with iris-like blossoms. Each flower has three large falls and three upright standards; colors range from pale sky blue to deep indigo and may show a subtle iridescence. Bloom occurs in late spring to early summer in their fictional range.

In the fictional taxonomy, Cldiris is placed in the family Iridaceae, within a hypothetical subtribe for cloud-adapted irids. The genus presently includes three described species: Cldiris altilis, Cldiris nebulis, and Cldiris caerulea.

Cldiris is described as endemic to mist-shrouded montane forests of a fictional archipelago, at elevations of roughly 1,200 to 2,400 meters. Soils are moist with good drainage; the climate is cool and humid. Pollination is attributed to nocturnal moths and, in some depictions, small nectar-feeding birds. Seeds disperse by wind and short-distance animal vectors.

In cultivation, Cldiris is shown as an ornamental plant valued for its foliage and blue flowers. It is typically propagated by rhizomes or offsets and requires partial shade, consistently moist soil, and protection from extreme heat and frost. In-universe conservation narratives highlight habitat loss as a threat.