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Flower Forms

The shape or structure of a daylily flower. The AHS officially recognizes the following forms for registration and exhibition purposes: single, double, spider, unusual form, sculpted and polymerous flowers. (In registering a daylily all form characteristics of the flower should be considered and if there is additional information, such as sculpting, that should be provided in registering a daylily that may, or may not be taken into consideration when showing a flower.) Single — Daylily flowers that have three petals, three sepals, six stamens and one pistil (comprised of three carpels) are known as “single” daylilies. A single daylily flower may occasionally have fewer or more (see “polymerous”) parts per whorl. Also see “monocot”, “double”. [caption id="attachment_2727" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A single bloom. Photo: Pat Loveland, used with permission.[/caption] Double — Double daylilies, like single daylilies, come in different forms. ‘Hose-in-Hose’ doubles have extra whorls (layers) of petals so that there appears to be a flower within a flower. ‘Peony type’ doubles have petaloid (petal-like) stamens inside the normal petal whorl. Carpels may also be petaloid. [caption id="attachment_4964" align="aligncenter" width="271"] 'Betty Woods' (Kirchhoff,1980) a peony type double. Photo by Tim Fehr, used with permission[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4963" align="aligncenter" width="242"] Photo by Tim Fehr, used with permission. Cultivar: 'Condilla' (Grooms 1977) a hose-in-hose double[/caption] Spider — A flower whose petals have a length-to-width ratio of at least 4 to 1 (i.e., 4:1). Length is measured with the segment fully extended. Width measurement is taken as the flower grows naturally. (Older literature may designate “Spiders” as having a ratio of 5:1, and “Spider Variants” as having a ratio of 4:1. AHS merged the two classes into the one spider class in 2003.) [caption id="attachment_5210" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photo: Mary Anne Leisen. Used with permission. Cultivar: 'Cat's Cradle'[/caption] Unusual Form — A class of daylilies based exclusively on the shapes of the petals or sepals. These shapes include Crispate (pinched, twisted, or quilled), Cascade, and Spatulate. One or more of these shapes must be displayed on at least 3 petals or 3 sepals. Pinching – Floral segments with sharp folds giving a pinched or folded effect. Twisting – Floral segments which present a corkscrew or pinwheel effect. Quilling – Floral segments turn upon themselves along their length to form a tubular shape. Cascading/Curling – Narrow floral segments with pronounced curling or cascading, which revolve upon themselves in the manner of a wood shaving. Spatulate – Floral segments markedly wider at the end like a kitchen spatula.   In the above drawings, the far right illustrations are by Kathleen Schuller, second from the right are by Marc King Polymerous - is an adjective used to designate a daylily with more than the normal number of segments in each floral whorl, i.e., more than the normal three sepals (usually four or five) in the outer whorl and more than three petals (usually the same number as sepals) in the inner whorl. [gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="5143,5144"] Examples: left, a 4×4 polymerous bloom, on right, the rarer 5×5 polymerous bloom. Sculpted: A term used to describe three-dimensional structural features involving or emanating from the throat, midrib or elsewhere on the petal surfaces. Sculpted forms belong to one of three different groups: Pleated, Cristate and Relief. PLEATED: In the pleated group, petals have a deep longitudinal crease on each side of the midrib. These creases cause folding of the petal upon itself creating a raised platform extending from the top of the perianth tube and ending between the throat and the petal tip. CRISTATE: This category refers to flowers having appendages of extra petal tissue growing from the midrib or elsewhere on the surface of the petals.  (Cristate, referred to by many as "Cresting," can occur on single and double daylilies, and thus does not, in itself, constitute a double daylily. RELIEF:  Daylilies falling into this category are characterized by vertically raised ridges that extend from the throat and project from the petal surface. The ridges may grow parallel to the veins, or they may radiate outwards from each side of the midrib. Multiform: This term is used where the daylily in question has been registered correctly as exhibiting 2 or more of the forms spider, unusual form, polymerous, or double.” An example of a multiform is a daylily that is both a spider and an unusual form, or a polymerous double, etc, but a single spider, etc. is not a multi-form. [gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="5101,5102,5103,5104"] All four photos above by Julie Covington, used with permission Other Descriptive Terms (Sub-forms): Other terms used to describe flower shapes, such as “circular”, “flat”, “informal” “recurved”, “star”, “triangular”, and “trumpet” are called “sub-forms”.  (See Exhibitions Handbook pages 24-27). Circular: When viewed from the front of a bloom, the flower appears round. Segments tend to be short, wide and stubby, and generally overlap, giving a full appearance. [caption id="attachment_5165" align="aligncenter" width="245"] Photo by Tim Fehr, uesd with permission. Cultivar: 'Custard Candy' (Stamile)[/caption] Flat: When viewed from the side of a bloom, flowers are perfectly flat except for the concave throat. [caption id="attachment_4980" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Photo by Rebecca Board, used with permission[/caption] Informal: When viewed from front of bloom, flower segments have no definable shape. Segment placement may be irregular, widely spaced or floppy. Recurved: When viewed from the side of a bloom, flower segments flare, but the ends of some segments roll back or tuck under. When the sepals are all recurved, and the petals are not, the result is a triangular form, when both sepals and petals recurve, the result is often the round form. When viewed from the side you can see that both the petals and sepals roll back showing the recurved form.  Below is the same plant taken front on. [caption id="attachment_5152" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photos: Tim Fehr, used with permission. Cultivar: 'Sir Francis Drake' (Stamile)[/caption] Star: When viewed from front of bloom, flower segments tend to be long and pointed. There is space between the segments, and the shape looks like a three-pointed or six pointed star. [caption id="attachment_5217" align="aligncenter" width="245"] Photo by Brian Mahieu, used with permission. Seedling: 'Hood College' x Hemerocallis citrina[/caption] Triangular: When viewed from the front of the bloom, the flower segments form a triangle. The sepals generally recurve. [caption id="attachment_5225" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photo by Tim Fehr, used with permission: Cultivar: 'Barbara Mitchell'[/caption] Trumpet — When viewed from side of bloom, flower form resembles a true lily. Segments rise from throat in an upward fashion with little flare. [caption id="attachment_5226" align="aligncenter" width="250"] Photo by Brian Mahieu, used with permission[/caption]

Open Forms

An ambiguous term that is not recognized for daylily registration or exhibition but has sometimes been used informally to refer to any of: 1. Spiders and Unusual Forms; may include similar daylily flowers that are “open” in appearance due to having narrow segments with large V-shaped notches between them. 2. Narrow-petaled daylily flowers lacking the specific requirements of a Spider or Unusual Form. 3. Any narrow-petaled daylily flower

Exhibition

A show where daylilies are displayed and often judged. Most exhibitions are open to the public (free admission) after the judging has taken place. The flowers can be displayed on cut scapes (stems), or the individual blooms can be displayed ‘off scape’ in separate divisions. In ‘official’ AHS sanctioned shows there are well defined show sections based on flower size and flower forms and whether those scapes being displayed are of registered cultivars or seedlings (not yet registered daylily plants). In AHS exhibitions, judging is done by certified AHS Exhibition Judges. Exhibitions are generally sponsored by local daylily clubs. [caption id="attachment_4973" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Image above of a show table after judging.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4974" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Above is an example of an 'off scape' section at a daylily exhibition.  Photos courtesy of Gisela Meckstroth, used with permission[/caption]        

Unusual Form

A more recent registration class based on form, its definition states: The Unusual Form class is based exclusively on form, not on color or color patterns. The flower must have distinctive petal or sepal shapes on all three petals or all three sepals. It includes three basic forms: crispate, cascade and spatulate. The crispate form is further defined below. Ideally, there should be minimal overlap with a v-shaped space between 3 or more floral segments. For garden judges, the UF multiforms are eligible for the Lambert/Webster award. For exhibition judges, the multiforms shown here are all exhibited in Section 5, Doubles. Exhibition judges should see Multiform Classification for further information. Crispate: Pinched, twisted, or quilled floral segments Pinched Crispates: Definition: floral segments which have sharp folds giving a pinched or folded effect. See below for pinched crispate illustration. [gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="4537,4532"] Twisted Crispates Definition: floral segments which present a corkscrew or pinwheel effect. See below for twisted crispate illustration. [caption id="attachment_4534" align="aligncenter" width="150"] H. ‘Godwin's Glory'’ (Elliott-S., 2014)Photo by Scott Elliott[/caption] Quilled Crispates Definition: floral segments which turn upon themselves along their length to form a tubular shape. See below for quilled crispate illustration. (Although not registered as quilled, H. ‘Arms Reaching Out’ typically illustrates this form on its sepals) [gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="4533,2721"] Cascade Definition: floral segments with narrow curling or cascading segments, resembling wood shavings. See below for cascade illustration. [gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="4536,4535"] Spatulates Definition: segments markedly wider at the end like a kitchen spatula. See below for spatulate illustration. [gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="4530,4531"] The purpose of this class is to recognize daylilies whose length-to-width ratio puts them outside the Spider classifications. The AHS makes available a list of officially registered unusual form daylilies each year. It can be downloaded free from www.daylilies.org. Only daylilies that appear on this official list are eligible for entry in the unusual form section of the show. While multiform daylilies are eligible for the Lambert/Webster and Harris Olson Spider awards, multiform daylilies must be exhibited in the proper section as designated in the Multiform Classification Code.

Spiderish, Spidery

Not a recognized term by the American Hemerocallis Society, but in conversation it implies that a flower has the characteristics of a spider or unusual form, but may not fit any of these bloom forms. Also see: Spider, Unusual Form.

Sculpted

A term used to describe three-dimensional structural features involving or emanating from the throat, midrib or elsewhere on the petal surfaces. Sculpted forms belong to one of three different groups: Pleated, Cristate and Relief. Pleated: Petals that have a deep longitudinal crease on each side of the midrib. These creases cause folding of the petal upon itself creating a raised platform extending from the top of the perianth tube and ending between the throat and the petal tip. [gallery link="file" ids="5183,5133,16319"] Cristate: A term that refers to daylily flowers with appendages of extra tissue growing from the midrib or elsewhere on the surface of the petals. Cristation can occur on single and double daylilies, but a cristate single daylily is not classified as a double. [gallery link="file" columns="2" ids="4950,4949,16320,9905"] Relief: The relief forms are characterized by vertically raised ridges that extend from the throat and project from the petal surface. The ridges may grow parallel to the veins, or they may radiate outwards from each side of the midrib. [gallery link="file" ids="5157,5158,5160"]

Multiform

This term is used where the daylily in question has been registered correctly as exhibiting two or more of the forms spider, unusual form, polymerous, or double. Examples of a multiform daylily would be one that is both a spider and an unusual form, or a polymerous double. [gallery columns="2" link="file" size="medium" ids="5101,5102,5103,5104"] All four photos: Julie Covington, used with permission.

Extra Large Diameter

A daylily cultivar which has been registered with a bloom size of 7 inches or greater but which is not registered in a specific form category (double, spider, unusual form, polymerous, sculpted) by the hybridizer. For Exhibitions (accredited daylily shows) extra large diameter flowers are classified by bloom size in Division I, Registered Extra Large Flowers. For AHS Awards, the “Extra Large Diameter Award” is designated for cultivars that are registered with blooms measuring 7” or greater that are not also registered as spiders or Unusual forms.

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