Iris virginica

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:IRIDACEAE
Species:Iris virginica L.
Common Name:Blue Flag Iris; Virginia Iris
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Virginia Iris is a native perennial in the Iris family (Iridaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Virginia Iris grows on the banks of streams and lakes, in wet roadside ditches, in bogs, and in wet woodlands. It is a clump forming perennial from a much branched rhizome. The leaves are produced at the apex of the rhizomes. The leaves are ensiform (sword-shaped) with entire margins. The leaves are often purple tinged towards the base and gray green in color towards the apex. Flowering stems are erect and usually slightly taller than the leaves. Flowering stems are often branched. The flowers are produced from between two leaf-like bracts (spathes). Flowers are pale blue to rarely white in color. The three sepals (falls) are reflexed and larger than the petals. The sepals have a yellow patch (signal) surrounded by white and radiating purple lines. The three petals (standards) are erect, pale blue in color with yellow towards the base. The stigma has three petaloid branches (arms) that extend over the sepals. The fruit is an ovoid capsule. Virginia Iris is often available from native plant nurseries. It can be grown in a bog or water garden, along streams or ponds, and in open wet areas.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native
References:**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyIRIDACEAE - Iris family
Genus Iris
Species Iris virginica L. - Blue Flag Iris; Virginia Iris

Citation

Citation Iris virginica Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 39. 1753.
Basionym: **
Type: USA: VIRGINIA: Without data, Clayton 259 (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by Dykes, Genus Iris 80. 1913.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Iris acleantha Iris acleantha Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 338. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris albilinea Iris albilinea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 349. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris amnicola Iris amnicola Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 348. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris atrocyanea Iris atrocyanea Small, Addisonia 14: 13, pl. 455. 1929. LOUISIANA
Iris atroenantha Iris atroenantha Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 338. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris auralata Iris auralata Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 349. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris bifurcata Iris bifurcata Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 345. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris callilopha Iris callilopha Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 350. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris callirhodea Iris callirhodea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 347. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris caroliniana Iris caroliniana S. Watson, in A. Gray, Manual, ed. 6. 514. 1890.  
Iris cerasioides Iris cerasioides Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 343. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris chlorolopha Iris chlorolopha Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 338. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris chrysaeola Iris chrysaeola Small, Addisonia 14: 11, pl. 454. 1929. LOUISIANA
Iris chrysolopha Iris chrysolopha Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 350. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris citriviola Iris citriviola Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 345. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris crocinubia Iris crocinubia Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 341. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris cyanantha Iris cyanantha Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 344. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris cyanochrysea Iris cyanochrysea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 348. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris dewinkeleri Iris dewinkeleri Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 347. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fourchiana Iris fourchiana Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 344. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fulvaurea Iris fulvaurea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 340. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fumiflora Iris fumiflora Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 340. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fumifulva Iris fumifulva Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 340. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fuscaurea Iris fuscaurea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 340. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fuscirosea Iris fuscirosea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 342. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fuscisanguinea Iris fuscisanguinea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 349. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris fuscivenosa Iris fuscivenosa Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 341. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris gentilliana Iris gentilliana Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 345. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris georgiana Iris georgiana Britton, in Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 1: 537. 1913, nom. illegit.Iris caroliniana S. Watson 1890.  
Iris ianthina Iris ianthina Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 339. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris iochroma Iris iochroma Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 348. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris iocyanea Iris iocyanea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 344. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris iodantha Iris iodantha Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327 345. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris ioleuca Iris ioleuca Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327 344. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris iophaea Iris iophaea Alexander, in Small, Bot. Interpr. Iridac. Gulf States 338. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris lancipetala Iris lancipetala Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 346. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris ludoviciana Iris ludoviciana Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 339. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris marplei Iris marplei Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 346. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris moricolor Iris moricolor Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 340. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris oenantha Iris oenantha Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 344. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris oolopha Iris oolopha Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 350. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris pallidirosea Iris pallidirosea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 347. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris parvirosea Iris parvirosea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 346. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris phoenicis Iris phoenicis Small ex Alexander, in Small, Bot. Interpr. Iridac. Gulf States 349. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris pseudocristata Iris pseudocristata Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 346. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris purpurissata Iris purpurissata Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 340. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris pyrrholopha Iris pyrrholopha Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 339. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris regalis Iris regalis Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 343. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris regifulva Iris regifulva Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 338. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rhodantha Iris rhodantha Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 346. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rhodochrysea Iris rhodochrysea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 347. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rosiflora Iris rosiflora Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 338. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rosilutea Iris rosilutea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 342. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rosipurpurea Iris rosipurpurea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 343. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rubea Iris rubea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 338. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rubicunda Iris rubicunda Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 342. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris rubrolilacina Iris rubrolilacina Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 345. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris salmonicolor Iris salmonicolor Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 339. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris schizolopha Iris schizolopha Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 351. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris subfulva Iris subfulva Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 337. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris thomasii Iris thomasii Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 348. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris tyriana Iris tyriana Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 342. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris versicolor var. virginica Iris versicolor Linnaeus, var. virginica (Linnaeus) Baker, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 16: 141. 1877.Iris virginica Linnaeus 1753. 
Iris violilutea Iris violilutea Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 350. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris violipurpurea Iris violipurpurea Small, Addisonia 14: 1, pl. 449. 1929. LOUISIANA
Iris violivenosa Iris violivenosa Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 339. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris viridis Iris viridis Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 345. 1931. LOUISIANA
Iris viridivinea Iris viridivinea Small ex Alexander, in Small & Alexander, Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 327: 341. 1931. LOUISIANA
Xiphion virginicum Xiphion virginicum (Linnaeus) Alefeld, Bot. Zeitung (Berlin) 21: 297. 1863.Iris virginica Linnaeus 1753. 
Iris shrevei    
Iris versicolor    
Iris virginica var. shrevei    

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Blount, Butler, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dallas, Elmore, Escambia, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Lawrence, Limestone, Lowndes, Madison, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Washington

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1898 - 1997

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.		 Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used		 Image
UWAL0039340 Pike 03 May 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27362		 UWAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus
USAM000007407 Baldwin 23 Apr 1981 LeLong, Michel G.
11967		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UNA00008033 Tuscaloosa 25 Apr 1981 Davenport, Lawrence J.
2133		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
UNA00050685 Barbour 16 Jun 1997 MacDonald, John R.
10731		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
SAMF0007409 Washington 06 May 2021 Davenport, L.J.
6873		 SAMF
Iris virginica Linnaeus
JSU116619 Covington 3 May 1972 Kral, Robert
46330		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
JSU116981 Escambia 6 May 2000 Haynes, Robert R.
10055		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
USAM000007406 Baldwin 29 May 1981 LeLong, Michel G.
12025		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UNA00008028 Tuscaloosa 01 May 1980 Haynes, Robert R.
7770		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
USAM000007409 Baldwin 23 Apr 1981 LeLong, Michel G.
11967		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UNA00008048 Cullman 29 Apr 1987 Haynes, Robert R.
8936		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
AMAL00020243 Covington 07 May 2013 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#934		 AMAL
Iris virginica L. var. shrevei (Small) E. Anderson
JSU116613 Chilton 13 May 1983 Whetstone, R. David
13381		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000046414 Lowndes 08 Apr 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28161		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
SAMF0000911 Marengo 25 May 1980 Davenport, Lawrence J.
1921		 SAMF
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000025699 Morgan 09 May 2004 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12100		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
JSU116618 Chilton 27 Apr 1979 Whetstone, R. David
9696		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UNA00065241 Marengo 25 May 1980 Davenport, Lawrence J.
1921		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
AUA_ACC_65049 Monroe 9 May 2004 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12100		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
UNA00008023 Greene 01 May 1980 Wiersema, John H.
1656		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
AUA_ACC_26599 Limestone 2 Jun 1969 Kral, Robert
34743		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
JSU116617 Chilton 13 May 1983 Whetstone, R. David
13518		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
AMAL00019974 Mobile 02 Jun 2013 Horne, Howard E.
2242		 AMAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus var. virginica
TROY000043944 Pike 03 May 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27362		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_33906 Dallas 3 May 1977 Sessler, Ann H.
1150		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
AUA_ACC_49207 Covington 6 May 1988 Diamond, Alvin R.
4705		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
UNA00053370 Escambia 06 May 2000 Haynes, Robert R.
10055		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
AMAL00020132 Calhoun 11 Apr 2012 Spaulding, Daniel D.
13406		 AMAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus var. shrevei (Small) E. Anderson
UWAL0047037 Autauga 11 Apr 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
582		 UWAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000010860 Crenshaw 12 Apr 1998 Diamond, Alvin R.
11241		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
AUA000042044 Hale 25 May 2018 Hansen, Curtis J.
7135		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
UNA00008053 15 Apr 1898 Mohr, Charles
s.n.		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
JSU116611 Autauga 10 May 1980 Whetstone, R. David
10055		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000045756 Autauga 11 Apr 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
582		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UNA00057124 Geneva 28 Apr 1999 MacDonald, John R.
12746		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
UWAL0034704 Limestone 19 May 1995 Kral, Robert
84692		 UWAL
Iris virginica L.
AMAL00023384 Lawrence 07 Jun 2016 England, Kevin J.
6548		 AMAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus var. shrevei (Small) E. Anderson
ALNHS00003855 Blount 12 May 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2275		 ALNHS
Iris virginica L.
UWAL0035549 Baldwin 08 Apr 2015 Horne, Howard E.
2812		 UWAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus
USAM000007404 Baldwin 29 May 1981 LeLong, Michel G.
12025		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000032191 Marengo 30 Mar 2009 England, J. Kevin
1785		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UWAL0010628 Autauga 21 Apr 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7141		 UWAL
Iris virginica L.
USAM000007410 Baldwin 23 Apr 1981 LeLong, Michel G.
11967		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
ALNHS00005624 Choctaw 20 Apr 2017 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2955		 ALNHS
Iris virginica L.
AMAL00013680 Cherokee 26 Jul 2006 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12503		 AMAL
Iris virginica L. var. shrevei (Small) E. Anders
JSU116614 Chilton 13 May 1983 Whetstone, R. David
13381		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
AMAL00000924 Geneva 28 Apr 1999 MacDonald, John R.
12746		 AMAL
Iris virginica L. var. virginica
UNA00008068 Sumter 21 May 1977 Davenport, Lawrence J.
87		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
AMAL00011828 Morgan 09 May 2004 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12100		 AMAL
Iris virginica L. var. shrevei (Small) E. Anders
UNA00065082 Morgan 09 May 2004 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12100		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
UWAL0004570 Sumter 26 Apr 1998 Keener, Brian R.
708		 UWAL
Iris virginica L.
ALNHS00001773 Covington 07 May 2013 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#934		 ALNHS
Iris virginica L. var. shrevei (Small) E. Anderson
AUA_ACC_45692 Mobile 22 Apr 1971 Widder, E.J.
064		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
JSU116984 Madison 15 May 1984 Whetstone, R. David
13925		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
JSU116620 Elmore 10 May 1980 Whetstone, R. David
10041		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000051657 Montgomery 29 Apr 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28224		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_70198 Escambia 15 Apr 2011 Pancake, Jr., Dale C.
 AUA
Iris Virginica L. Var. Virginica
UWAL0032644 Lawrence 07 Jun 2016 England, J. Kevin
6548		 UWAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus var. shrevei (Small) E. Anderson
UWAL0039829 Lowndes 08 Apr 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28161		 UWAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus
ALNHS00001152 Chilton 12 Apr 2012 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#531		 ALNHS
Iris virginica L.
UWAL0004568 Cherokee 26 Jul 2006 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12503		 UWAL
Iris virginica L.
UNA00008047 Cherokee 16 May 1981 Haynes, Robert R.
8450		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
USAM000007411 Mobile 06 Apr 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7519		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000025698 Cherokee 26 Jul 2006 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12503		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
USAM000007405 Mobile 09 Jul 1981 LeLong, Michel G.
12145		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
JSU116612 Chilton 13 May 1983 Whetstone, R. David
13381		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
USAM000007408 Baldwin 23 Apr 1981 LeLong, Michel G.
11967		 USAM
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UNA00008058 Chilton 29 Apr 1987 Haynes, Robert R.
8936		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
ALNHS00003124 Geneva 6 Apr 2015 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1610		 ALNHS
Iris virginica L. var. virginica
TROY000010861 Geneva 28 Apr 1999 MacDonald, John R.
12746		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
JSU116616 Chilton 27 Apr 1979 Whetstone, R. David
9696		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
JSU116983 Lawrence 4 May 1996 Whetstone, R. David
17463		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_67319 Cherokee 26 Jul 2006 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12503		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
UNA00008003 Hale 01 May 1980 Haynes, Robert R.
7784		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
AUA_ACC_40791 Chilton 13 May 1983 Whetstone, R.David
13518		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
JSU116615 Chilton 13 May 1983 Whetstone, R. David
13518		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
UWAL0004569 Marengo 30 Mar 2009 England, J. Kevin
1785		 UWAL
Iris virginica L.
TROY000051661 Montgomery 29 Apr 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28224		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_52163 Butler 19 Apr 1992 Diamond, Alvin R.
8148		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
UWAL0012517 Calhoun 11 Apr 2012 Spaulding, Daniel D.
13406		 UWAL
Iris virginica Linnaeus var. shrevei (Small) E. Anderson
UWAL0043231 Baldwin 22 Apr 2003 Larsen, Harry S.
1234		 UWAL
Iris virginica L.
UNA00008043 Montgomery _ May _ Mohr, Charles
s.n.		 UNA
Iris virginica L.
AUA_ACC_53059 Geneva 15 Apr 1990 Diamond, Alvin R.
6819		 AUA
Iris Virginica L.
JSU116982 Hale 20 May 1981 Whetstone, R. David
10730		 JSU
Iris virginica Linnaeus
TROY000038404 Autauga 21 Apr 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7141		 TROY
Iris virginica Linnaeus
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