''Iris rosenbachiana'', the spinster iris, is a species in the genus ''

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 ent ...

'', it is also in the subgenus ''Scorpiris''. It is a

bulbous In botany, a bulb is structurally a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf basesBell, A.D. 1997. ''Plant form: an illustrated guide to flowering plant morphology''. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. that function as food storage organs durin ...

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 wid ...

from Central Asia, within Tajikistan and Afghanistan. It has long mid-green leaves, short flower stem, sweet scented flowers in early spring in shades of purple.

Description

''Iris rosenbachiana'' is thought to be in the same 'physocaulon' group of junos, along with '' Iris kopetdagensis'', '' Iris leptorhiza'', '' Iris popovii'', '' Iris nicolai'', '' Iris baldschuanica'' and '' Iris zaprjagajevii''. They all have short thick storage tubers which come to a point, and they have an extra side bulb in addition to the bulb which produces the flowers and leaves. It has lance-shaped, channelled, mid-green leaves formed from a basal tuft. The multiple leaves, grow at the same time as the short flower stem. It grows up between to 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tall. It has deeply sweet scented flowers. It has between 1–3 flowers per stem, which are long tubed and about 4–5 cm (1.5–2 in) wide. This iris is one of the first Juno irises to appear in mild winters of

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, in the US, flowering in late February,Benjamin Yeo Morrison but it can also flower in March in

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

Zone 7 gardens. In the UK, it blooms between March and April. The flowers are variable in colour, but are generally of rosy lavender with markings of darker purple and gold, but they can range from deep purple, deep rich purple, light purple, pale mauve to white. It has small down-turned rich purple standards and reddish purple falls, each with an orange, or yellow ridge or crest in the centre. It has yellow-orange pollen. This iris has a seed that has an aril.

Taxonomy

It is sometimes known as the ''Spinster iris''.

Donald Wyman Donald Wyman (1904 — 6 December 1993) was an American horticulturist, the head of horticulture at Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum from 1935 to 1970. He took a bachelor's degree in horticulture from Pennsylvania State College (1926) and a m ...

It was first published by

Regel Eduard August von Regel (sometimes Edward von Regel or Edward de Regel or Édouard von Regel), Russian: Эдуард Август Фон Регель; (born 13 August 1815 in Gotha; died 15 April 1892 in St. Petersburg) was a German horticultural ...

in 'Trudy Imperatorskago St. Peterburgskago Botaniceskago Sada' Vol3 in 1884. The specific epithet ''rosenbachiana'' is derived from that of the Russian governor of

Turkestan Turkestan, also spelled Turkistan ( fa, ترکستان, Torkestân, lit=Land of the Turks), is a historical region in Central Asia corresponding to the regions of Transoxiana and Xinjiang. Overview Known as Turan to the Persians, western Turk ...

where the bulb was found,

Nikolai Rozenbakh Nikolai Ottonovich von Rozenbakh (Николай Оттонович фон Розенбах) (12 June 1836 in Püssi – 5 May 1901 in Petersburg) was a Russians (citizens), Russian General during the nineteenth century. He was Governor-General o ...

(1804 – 1889). ''Iris rosenbachiana'' is now the accepted name by the RHS, it was verified by

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

and the Agricultural Research Service on 3 October 2014. Note, ''Iris rosenbachiana'' var. ''baldshuanica'' is a synonym of ''

Iris baldshuanica 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 ...

''.

Native

''Iris rosenbachiana'' is found in

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 ...

, within North

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. It has been found in the Pamir-Alai mountains at altitudes of up to 2000 m above sea level, and it has also been found in the

Hissar Mountains Hisar Range ( tg, Қаторкӯҳи Ҳисор; uz, Hisor tizmasi, russian: Гиссарский хребет; uk, Ґаторкугі Гісор; fa, رشته‌کوه حصار; also known as Hissar, Hisor, or Gissar Range) is a mountain range ...

, and

Fann Mountains The Fann Mountains ( tg, Кӯҳҳои Фон) are part of the western Pamir-Alay mountain system in Tajikistan's Sughd Province, between the Zarafshan Range to the north and the Gissar Range to the south. In an east-west direction, they extend fr ...

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

Cultivation

This species is similar to '' Iris nicolai'' both in cultural requirements and form. It prefers to grow in well-drained soils, that have a stony composition including

dolomitic Dolomite () is an anhydrous carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate, ideally The term is also used for a sedimentary carbonate rock composed mostly of the mineral dolomite. An alternative name sometimes used for the dolomiti ...

lime dust. They like summer drought and well ventilated positions. It is difficult to grow outside in the UK, so best cultivated in an alpine house or bulb frame.

Known Cultivars

*''Iris rosenbachiana'' 'Harangon' - large white flowers *''Iris rosenbachiana'' 'Tovil Dara' - dark purple flowers from Tovil Dara town in Tajikistan. *''Iris rosenbachiana'' 'Varzob' - cream coloured flowers from Tajikistan.

References

Other sources

* Czerepanov, S. K. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR). 1995 (L USSR) * Khassanov, F. O. & N. Rakhimova 2012. Taxonomic revision of the genus Iris L. (Iridaceae Juss.) for the flora of Central Asia (Stapfia) 97:179. * Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. Flora SSSR. 1934-1964 (F USSR) * Mathew, B. The Iris. 1981 (Iris) 164. * Rechinger, K. H., ed. Flora iranica. 1963- (F Iran)

External links

image of Iris rosenbachiana 'Harangon'Image of Iris rosenbachiana 'Harangon'
* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q15571683 rosenbachiana Plants described in 1884 Flora of Central Asia Flora of Afghanistan