Iris heylandiana
Iris heylandiana is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris, and in the section Oncocyclus. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the marshlands or fields of Iraq. It has short, linear or sickle shaped grey-green leaves, slender stem, a single flower in spring, which has a dingy-white, whitish, or pale background, which is covered in many spots or dark veining, in black-purple, brown-purple, or brown violet, or brown shades. It has a dark brown or burgundy brown signal patch and white tinged with yellow or orange white sparse beard. It is rarely cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions, as it needs very dry conditions during the summer.
Iris heylandiana | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Iridaceae |
Genus: | Iris |
Subgenus: | Iris subg. Iris |
Section: | Iris sect. Oncocyclus |
Species: | I. heylandiana |
Binomial name | |
Iris heylandiana | |
Synonyms[1] | |
Iris maculata Baker |
Description
It has a short,[2] brown rhizome,[3] that is creeping and stoloniferous.[2][3] It has 5-7 leaves,[4] which are linear in the middle, but falcate or sickle-shaped,[3] on the outside.[2][4][5] They are similar in form to Iris sari but are narrower.[6] The glaucescent,[5] greyish green leaves,[3] can grow up to between 20–23 cm (8–9 in) long,[2][5] and between 0.8mm and 1.2 cm wide.[2][4][5] After flowering they begin to fade away, before regrowing in spring.[3] It has a slender stem or peduncle, that can grow up to between 15–45 cm (6–18 in) tall.[7][8][9] The flowers are high above the foliage.[3] The stem has 1 green, lanceolate, membranous,[5] spathes (leaf of the flower bud),[2] which is 7.5 cm (3 in) long.[2][5] The stem has a terminal (top of stem) flower, blooming in Spring between April,[2] and June.[3][4] The flowers are 8–9 cm (3–4 in) in diameter,[4] they have a dingy-white,[5][6] whitish,[4][9] or pale background,[8][10] which has many spots and dark veining,[8][10] in black-purple,[5][6] brown-purple,[9] or brown violet,[4][6] or brown shades.[3] Like other irises, it has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals), known as the 'standards'.[11] The obovate or cuneate (wedge shaped) falls,[2] are 5.5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) long and 3.5–4 cm wide.[4] In the centre of the fall, is a signal patch, which is dark brown,[2][9] or burgundy brown,[3] and in the middle of the falls, it has a row of short hairs called the 'beard', which is sparse,[2][4] and white with a slightly yellow tint,[5][6] or orange-white.[3] It has broader standards,[2][4][5] which are orbicular (rounded),[5] or unguiculate (narrow stalk-like),[2] they are 5.5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) cm long and 4.5–5 cm wide.[4] It has short, 3.5 to 5 cm long,[2] broad and crenulated crests,[5] and a 2.5 cm long perianth tube.[2][5] After the iris has flowered, it produces a trigonal (narrow at both ends) and 6 cm (2 in) long seed capsule.[4]
Biochemistry
As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes, this can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.[11] It has a chromosome count: 2n=20,[3] similar to other Oncocyclus irises.[12]
Taxonomy
The Latin specific epithet heylandiana refers to the German botanical artist Jean-Christophe Heyland (1791-1866), he lived mainly in Switzerland, working for Delessert, Webb, Boissier and other botanists.[13]
It was originally found in Mesopotamia,[5][6][7] and then called Iris iberica var. heylandiana by John Gilbert Baker in 1877 in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society (J. Linn. Soc., Bot.) Vol.16 on page 142.[2][14][15] It was then soon re-named as Iris heylandiana in 1882 by Boiss. in Fl. Orient. Vol.5 on page 130, (edited by Reut.).[5][15] In 1893, Foster described the species in The Garden (journal) of 18 February, but in 1977 S. A Chaudhary worked out that one of these was instead Iris gatesii. It was found that Boissier & Reuter had named two specimens Iris heylandiana, but one of these was also determined to be I. gatesii by Chaudhary.[2] It has also been confused with Iris nectarifera, as both of these species have been found in the Derbassieh area in Syria. Although I. nectarifera is mainly from adjacent Turkey.[4]
It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 4 April 2003, then altered on 2 December 2004.[14]
It is listed in the Encyclopedia of Life,[16] and in the Catalogue of Life.[17]
Distribution and habitat
Conservation
It was listed as Endangered in 1991.[18]
Cultivation
In general, 'Oncocyclus Section' Irises need good drainage,[23] minimal summer rainfall and dry winters.[3] In temperate areas (such as the Europe and America), they are only suitable for growing by specialist iris growers, within a bulb frame or greenhouse.[23][24] They can be grown under glass (in frames), to protect the irises from excess moisture (especially during winter times) and also to ensure the (shallow planted) rhizomes get the best temperatures during the growing season.[3][25] They can be grown in pots (especially in deep ones known as 'long toms'), but they need re-potting, every 2 years and extra feeding. Watering is one of the most critical aspects of iris cultivation.[25] It can suffer from aphids, viruses and rots.[23] A herbarium specimen can be found in Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.[16]
Propagation
Irises can generally be propagated by division,[26] or by seed growing. Irises generally require a period of cold, then a period of warmth and heat, also they need some moisture. Some seeds need stratification, (the cold treatment), which can be carried out indoors or outdoors. Seedlings are generally potted on (or transplanted) when they have 3 leaves.[27]
Toxicity
Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting. Also handling the plant may cause a skin irritation or an allergic reaction.[28]
References
- "Iris heylandiana Boiss. & Reut. is an accepted name". theplantlist.org (The Plant List). 23 March 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- Pries, Bob (30 July 2016). "(SPEC) Iris heylandiana Boiss. & Reut". wiki.irises.org (American Iris Society). Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- "Chapter I (Part 5) Oncocyclus II" (in French). irisbotanique.over-blog.com. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- British Iris Society (1997) A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation, p. 76-77, at Google Books
- Richard Lynch The Book of the Iris (1904), p. 111, at Google Books
- John Weathers The Bulb Book (1911) , p. 303, at Google Books
- Stevens, Michelle L.; Alwash, Suzie (January 2003). "Draft Report Biological Characteristics Mesopotamian Marshlands Of Southern Iraq" (PDF). The Iraq Foundation. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- "Iris summary" (PDF). pacificbulbsociety.org. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- Cassidy, George E.; Linnegar, Sidney (1987). Growing Irises (Revised ed.). Bromley: Christopher Helm. p. 127. ISBN 0-88192-089-4.
- Kramb, D. (3 December 2003). "Iris heylandiana". signa.org (Species Iris Group of North America). Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- Austin, Claire (2005). Irises; A Garden Encyclopedia. Timber Press. ISBN 0881927309.
- Avishai, Michael; Zohary, Daniel (1977). "Chromosomes in the Oncocyclus Irises". Botanical Gazette. 138 (4): 502–511. doi:10.1086/336956. JSTOR 2473887. S2CID 84941000.
- "Iris heylandiana". ldlp-dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- "Iris heylandiana". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- "Iridaceae Iris heylandiana Boiss. & Reut". ipni.org (International Plant Names Index). Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- "Iris heylandiana". eol.org. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- Govaerts, R. (5 September 2014). "Accepted scientific name: Iris heylandiana Boiss. & Reut. (accepted name)". catalogueoflife.org. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre, ed. (5 February 1991). "Gulf War Environmental Information Service Impact On The Land And Atmosphere" (PDF). unep.org. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- "Iraq". lntreasures.com. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- Al-Lami, A.; Butrus, D.; Abdulhadi, R.; Rossi, A. (March 2014). "Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Ministry of Environment, Iraq". Ministry of Environment. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.4225.3209. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - Henry C. Stewardson (Editor) Palestine Exploration Fund The Survey of Western Palestine: A General Index to 1. The Memoirs ..., Volume 1 (1888), p. 26, at Google Books
- Talin, W. H. (7 September 1892). "Iris Lorteti". Garden and Forest. 5 (237). Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- Archibald, Jim (September 1999). "Silken Sad Uncertain Queens" (PDF). 67. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
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(help) - Stebbings, Geoff (1997). The Gardener's Guide to Growing Irises. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p. 18. ISBN 0715305395.
- "Oncocyclus, Regelia and Reglio-cyclus Irises, The Plantsmen, Buckshaw Gardens, Holwell, Sherborne, Dorset" (PDF). srgc.net (Scottish Rock Garden Club). Retrieved 3 March 2016.
- "How to divide iris rhizomes". gardenersworld.com. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- Waters, Tom (December 2010). "Growing Irises from Seed". telp.com. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- David G Spoerke and Susan C. Smolinske Toxicity of Houseplants, p. 236, at Google Books
Other sources
- Mathew, B. The Iris. 1981 (Iris) 51-52.
- Rechinger, K. H., ed. Flora iranica. 1963- (F Iran)
- Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest Flora of Iraq. 1966- (F Iraq)
External links
- Illustrations from Benjamin Maund's book The Botanic Garden (1825)
Data related to Iris heylandiana at Wikispecies