Iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
*Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
Iris or IRIS may also refer to:
Arts and media
Fictional enti ...
'', it is also in the subgenus '' Limniris'' and in series '' Spuriae''. It is a dwarf
rhizomatous
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
perennial plant
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 eastern Europe, the Causcasus region and Russia, with a short stem and violet-blue and white flowers.
It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in
temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
regions.
Description
It is known as the smallest Spuria iris. It is related to '' Iris sintenisii'' and '' Iris graminea'' but it is very distinct from them.
It has a short, thick, woody, branching rhizomes. That measure 0.4–1.0 cm in diameter. They normally grown at 3–5 cm deep in the soil.
The branching and creeping habit creates tufts of plants.
It has foliage which is similar in form to ''Iris graminea''. It has 2–5 basal leaves, that are narrow, linear, lanceolate, slightly glaucous and grass-like. They grow up to long and 2–5 mm wide.Thomas Gaskell Tutin (Editor) The leaves can be 3 times as long as the stem. They have prominent ribs or veining.
It has very short stem, 1–4 cm long. In total, with the flower, peduncle and stem, the plant can reach up to tall.Stuart Max Walters (Editors)
The stems or peduncle hold 1 (or 2 rarely) terminal (top of stem) flowers, in late spring, or early summer, between April and June.
The stems have 2 green, lanceolate, membranous
spathe
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
s (leaves of the flower bud), that are 40–70 mm long.
The flowers have a slight scent, which is rare for most spuria irises, and they can be up in diameter, and come in shades of violet-blue, violet, purple, or purple-reddish.
It has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large
sepals
A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...
(outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or
tepals
A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...
, known as the 'standards'. The falls are sub-orbicular or obovate. They have a yellow, yellow-greenish or white centre patch that is veined with violet, reddish-brown or brown. They have very narrow dark purple claws (section closest to the stem). Measuring up to 45–55 mm long and 15–18 mm wide. The single coloured (violet-blue to blue) standards are oblanceolate and unguiculate (clawed shaped). They also have a dark purple claws. Measuring 35–50 mm long and 8–12 mm wide.
It has a long perianth tube, but it is difficult to measure because of the slender, beaked ovary. It is estimated to be between 2 and 5 cm long. It has a bronze-purple or purple carinate (ridged), recurved (up turned at the front edge) style branch, which has two violet-blue teeth. It also has a 2 lobed stigma, yellow filaments, azure anthers and cylindrical ovary.
After the iris has flowered, it produces an ellipsoid, seed capsule, 1.5–2.5 cm long, with 6 ridges, between May and August. Inside the capsule, are reddish brown to brown, pyriform (pear shaped) or globose seeds, which have a papery testa (coating).
Genetics
As most irises are
diploid
Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respectively ...
, having two sets of
chromosomes
A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...
. This can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.
It has a chromosome count: 2n=72.
Taxonomy
The Latin
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''pontica'' refers to Pontiac or the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
.Archibald William Smith Normally, ''pontica'' refers to the Turkish Pontus mountain range or the classical region known as '
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos may refer to:
* Short Latin name for the Pontus Euxinus, the Greek name for the Black Sea (aka the Euxine sea)
* Pontus (mythology), a sea god in Greek mythology
* Pontus (region), on the southern coast of the Black Sea, in modern ...
' in North eastern Turkey, (such as '' Artemisia pontica''), but the Black Sea was once known as ''Pontus Euxinus''.
It has the common names of ''Pontic iris''. It is also rarely called ''Iris Black Sea''.
Although, generally '' Iris lazica'' has the common name of ''Black Sea Iris''.
It was originally found in the Caucasus and called ''Iris humilis'' by
Friedrich August Marschall von Bieberstein
Baron Friedrich August Marschall von Bieberstein (30 July 1768 in Stuttgart – 28 June 1826 in Merefa) was an early explorer of the flora and archeology of the southern portion of Imperial Russia, including the Caucasus and Novorossiya. He compi ...
in ''Flor. Taur. Caucas.'' Vol.1 on page 33 in 1808.
It was again published by Bieberstein in ''Cent. Pl. Rar.'' Vol.1: tab. 31 in 1810, but in the 1960s, Georgi Rodionenko (a Russian botanist), found that a dwarf yellow bearded iris in the section Psammiris was called ''
Iris humilis
''Iris humilis'' is a plant species in the genus ''Iris (plant), Iris'', it is also in the subgenus of ''Iris subg. Iris, Iris'' and in the ''Psammiris'' section. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, perennial, with a wide distribution range fro ...
'' (by
Georgi Georgi may refer to:
* Georgi (given name)
* Georgi (surname)
See also
*Georgy (disambiguation)
*Georgii (disambiguation) Georgii may refer to:
;Given name
*Georgii Zantaraia (born 1987), Ukrainian judoka of Georgian origin
*Georgii Karpechenko ( ...
) and it was published earlier in 1775. It was then found that
Hugo Zapałowicz
Hugo Zapałowicz (15 November 1852, in Ljubljana – 20 November 1917, in Perovsk ow Kyzylorda Kazakhstan) was a botanist, natural scientist, traveller, and military lawyer.
Zapałowicz was a pioneer researcher of flora and geological struct ...
had published the iris in 'Conspectus florae Galiciae criticus' (Consp. Fl. Gallic. Crit.) Vol.1 on page 191 in 1906 as ''Iris pontica''. So ''Iris pontica'' is used as the correct name and ''Iris humils'' is classified as a synonym.
It was verified by
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...
Agricultural Research Service
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area. ARS is charged with ext ...
on 4 April 2003.
Distribution and habitat
''Iris pontica'' is
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to eastern regions of Europe and Russia.
Range
It is found in eastern Europe within
Moldova
Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The List of states ...
,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
,
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
, and north eastern
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
.
It is also in the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
region, part of the
Russian Federation
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
or USSR.
As recently as 2013, the species was first discovered in the forest-steppe area of Moldavia.
Habitat
Iris pontica grows on dry sunny grasslands and meadows, of
steppe
In physical geography, a steppe () is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes.
Steppe biomes may include:
* the montane grasslands and shrublands biome
* the temperate grasslands, ...
s, and on
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
, chalky and
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
mountain slopes. Along the edges of
ravine
A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.Red Book of vascular plants in the
Stavropol
Stavropol (; rus, Ставрополь, p=ˈstavrəpəlʲ) is a city and the administrative centre of Stavropol Krai, Russia. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 547,820, making it one of Russia's fastest growing cities.
It was known as ...
Territory in USSR, and also in Ukraine (since 1980). In Romania, it is listed as 'critically endangered'. It has been listed as ''endangered'' category in Moldova (since 1980).
It has been threatened due to the flowers being collected for bouquets and grazing by farm animals.
In 2009, a national Nature park was created in Ukraine. This is to protect several endemics that are listed in the Red Data Book. Including ''Iris pontica'', '' Stipa asperella'', ''
Gymnospermium odessanum
''Gymnospermium'' is a group of tuberous
Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and ...
It is hardy to European Zone H2.
It is hardy enough to be grown in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
,
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
and
Stavropol
Stavropol (; rus, Ставрополь, p=ˈstavrəpəlʲ) is a city and the administrative centre of Stavropol Krai, Russia. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 547,820, making it one of Russia's fastest growing cities.
It was known as ...
in Russia. It has grown well for up to 12 years in St Petersburg Botanical Garden.
It prefers to grow in soils that contain limestone. But it is tolerant of other soils including rich clay loams, neutral dry soils, or a 'peat bed' (with mainly leafmold and rotting wood).
It prefers full sun or partial shade. It is known as a heliophytic species.
It can be grown in the
rock garden
A rock garden, also known as a rockery and formerly as a rockwork, is a garden, or more often a part of a garden, with a landscaping framework of rocks, stones, and gravel, with planting appropriate to this setting. Usually these are small A ...
or in an
alpine house
A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown.These s ...
.
It can also be grown in a contained or pot.
It is rarely seen in the UK.
Propagation
It can also be propagated by
division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
or by seed growing.
It is thought that it is propagated by
ant
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22 ...
s. The flowers produce
nectar
Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...
droplets at the base of tepals, which attracts the ants.
References
Sources
*Czerepanov, S. K. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR).
*Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 115–116.
*Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964–1980. Flora europaea.