Citation: R. Br., in Ker Gawler, Curtis's Bot. Mag. 26:t. 1041 (1807).

Derivation: After William Paterson, 1755-1810, an early botanical collector in Australia and Lieutenant Governor of N.S.W. from 1800-1810.

Synonymy: Genosiris Labill., Nov. Holl. Pl. Sp. 1:13, t. 9 (1804). (D. A. Cooke (1986) Fl. Aust. 46:13-26.)

Common name: Native irises.

Description:
Evergreen perennial herbs with woody rhizomes forming dense clumps; leaves basal, numerous, equitant, linear, flat and grass-like to terete; stem an erect terete unbranched scape, leafless but clasped at the base by a leaf.

Inflorescence capirate, enclosed by a pair of large opposite rigid spathe bracts, with 2 groups of 1-4 flowers separated by smaller brown bracts, each flower with a scarious bracteole; flowers sessile, actinomorphic, short-lived; perianth-segments free, blue to violet, inserted separately on a filiform floral tube included in the spathe; outer segments broad, spreading, with prominent midveins; inner segments very small, erect; stamens erect, exserted; filaments connate in a tube; anthers lanceolate, basifixed, yellow, with large connectives; style filiform, entire; stigma flat, broad, 3-lobed, whitish.

Capsule cylindrical, trigonous, sessile; seeds numerous, slightly flattened-ovoid, smooth.

Distribution:  17 species native to Australia, and about 2 in Malesia and New Guinea.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:

1. Leaves biconvex to terete, deeply grooved; floral tube glabrous	P. fragilis 1.
1. Leaves flat, finely striate; floral tube villous	P. occidentalis 2.

Author: Not yet available