''Iris maracandica'' is a species in the genus '' Iris'', it is also in the subgenus ''Scorpiris''. It is a bulbous

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

from

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked cou ...

, Central Asia. It has short stems, scented spring flowers in shades of yellow.

Description

''Iris maracandica'' is similar in form to '' Iris bucharica''. It has bulb (approx.) 2 cm in diameter, with thickened fusiform roots (spindle-like). It has falcate shaped leaves, that are 1.5 – 2 cm wide close to the base of the plant. The leaves have a silver edge. It is small species with the Juno genus, growing up to a height of tall. It has 1-4 strongly scented flowers per stem, which bloom between March and April. The flowers come in a range of shades of yellow, from pale yellow, to soft yellow, and rich-yellow. The perianth tube generally is about 3 – 4.5 cm long. It has falls that have a wide wing and a raised pale yellow crest, the standards are short and deflexed. It has whitish anthers and pollen.

Taxonomy

It was originally published as ''Juno maracandica'' by Alexei Vvedenski in 'Sched. Herb. Fl. As. Med. ' No. 662 in 1935. It was then published in 'Fl. Tadzhikskoi 'SSR 2: on page 393 in 1963. It is named after 'Maracanda' (the Greek name for the city of

Samarkand fa, سمرقند , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from the top:Registan square, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, view inside Shah-i-Zinda, ...

), in

Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...

. It was then published as ''Iris maracandica'' in 'Botaniska Notiser' Vol 128(2) page 216 in 1975 by Wendlbo. ''Iris maracandica'' is now an accepted name by the RHS.

Native

''Iris maracandica'' is found on the gravelly slopes in foothills of

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...

. Found on the

Pamir Mountains The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range between Central Asia and Pakistan. It is located at a junction with other notable mountains, namely the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, Hindu Kush and the Himalaya mountain ranges. They are among the world ...

, and

Nuratau Mountains The Nuratau Mountains ( uz, Nurota tog'lari, russian: Нурата́у or Нурати́нский хребе́т) is a mountain range located in Uzbekistan and constitutes one of the western buttresses of the Gissar Range. It borders Aydar Lake t ...

. It can be found near

Dzhizak , image_caption = , image_seal = Jizzax gerb.png , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Uzbekistan , pushpin_label_position = bottom , pushpin_map_caption = L ...

(now Jizzakh), Samarkand and Akrabat (in Uzbekistan).

Cultivation

It can be cultivated outside in well-drained soils, not needing the protection of a bulb frame or alpine house, in the UK.

References

External links

Image of Iris maracandica
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15571329 maracandica Plants described in 1935 Flora of Central Asia Flora of Uzbekistan