Morphologically similar to I.japonica, the new hybrid differs in having 7–10 branches and an aerial stem (25–29 cm compared to 10–15 cm), larger leaves (length and width, 68–80 cm and 6–7 cm compared to 45–51 cm and 3–4.5 cm) and larger purple flowers (diam., 11–13 cm compared to 4–5 cm).

Shanghai Botanical Garden, grown from collection from the Qingyang Town of Fuling District, Chongqing, 14 June 2014, Y.E. Xiao XYE20140614 (holotype: CSH-0180673!; isotypes: CSH!). A photo of the holotype is shown in Appendix 2: Figure A1.

Rhizomes creeping, thick, ca. 1.5–2 cm in diam. Overall plant up to 85.4–125.5 cm. Stem ascending upright, 24–31 cm. Leaves mainly in basal fans, green, broadly sword-shaped, curved, midrib evident, 69.0–82.9 × 5.5–7.5 cm, the basal leaves fibrous. Flowering stems with 7–10 branched that arise in the axillary leaves, 1- or 2 leaved subtend the flower on the branch, ca. 50.0 × 4.5 cm. Spathes 2 or 3, green, lanceolate, ca. 2 cm, 3- or 4- flowered, seldom 5, apex acuminate. Flowers blueish violet, 11.5–12.8 cm in diam.; pedicel 1.5–3.0 cm, perianth tube slender, ca. 1.5 cm; outer segments mottled darker around conspicuous, yellow, irregularly toothed crest, broadly ovate, 6.8–7.3 × 5.2–5.5 cm; inner segments spreading horizontally at anthesis, elliptical, 5.5–6.2 × 3.9–4.2 cm. Stamens ca. 2 cm; anthers bright white without pollen. Style branches pale bluish violet, 4–5 cm, feathery apex, terminal lobes fimbriate. Ovary cylindrical, ca. 2 cm. Flowering season, March–April. Sterile.

The new hybrid is named for the large flower.

Iris×ampliflora was collected from the Qingyang Town, Fuling District, Chongqing, China (29°31'40.8"N, 107°12'54"E). With complicated mountainous topography, the Qingyang Town is located in the range of the Dalou Mountains with an average altitude of 750 m. There were about 10 clones each with 6–10 individuals in the population of I.×ampliflora, covering an area of 200 m². Plants of I.×ampliflora grow well on roadsides of subtropical mixed evergreen deciduous broad-leaved forest in full-sun and partly-shaded environments at an altitude of about 650 m. The lowest and highest temperature of the original site are about -5 °C and 38 °C, respectively.

Iris×ampliflora blooms in March to April in Chongqing, and it blooms in April in Shanghai. It is evergreen. No fruits have been observed, but it can reproduce vegetatively.

Only one population of I.×ampliflora was found by our investigation in Qingyang Region and there are risks of disturbance by human activities. I.×ampliflora is currently cultivated in the conservation nurseries of Shanghai Botanical Garden and the Flower Fragrance Horticulture Limited Company in Chongqing.

I.japonica Chongqing Municipality, WUK0495843; PE01012482; PE01012483; PE01012489; PE01012492; IMC0013795. I.confusa Chongqing Municipality, CDBI0169691, IMC0013989, IMC0013998; IMC0014000; IMC0014010. I.milesii Yunnan Province, LBG 00106670; LBG00106671; KUN0360444. I.wattii Chongqing Municipality, KUN0360622. Mount Emei, Sichuan Province, CSH0086611. Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, PE01013840. I.tectorum, Chongqing Municipality, IBSC0629040; IBSC0629027; CDBI0169658.