Iris pseudocaucasica
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Iris pseudocaucasica.jpg
|genus = Iris
|display_parents = 2
|parent = Iris sect. Scorpiris
|species = pseudocaucasica
|authority = Grossh.
|synonyms = {{Species list|Colchicum falcifolium|(Stapf) |Juno pseudocaucasica | (Grossh.) Rodion.}}
}}
Iris pseudocaucasica is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Scorpiris. It is a bulbous perennial from central Asia, within the Caucasus (in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) and in Iran, Iraq and Turkey.
Description
It is not to be confused with Iris caucasica, although in the same sub-genus of iris, they are different plants. It differs from Iris caucasica by having yellowish green or blue flowers.
Iris pseudocaucasica has a bulb of 1–1.5 cm diameter.{{cite web|title=I. pseudocaucasica |url=http://www.vanherbaryum.yyu.edu.tr/flora/famgenustur/ir/Ir/ps/index.htm |publisher= www.vanherbaryum.yyu.edu.tr| access-date=18 September 2014}}
It generally has 3–4 leaves, when fully grown these reach a height of between 4 and 18 cm long and between 1 and 2.8 cm wide at the base of the plant, but averagely, they are 1–1.5 cm wide. They are generally lanceolate shaped, channelled, glossy green above with a greyish-green below, with a white cartilaginous margin.
The large leaves normally obscure the flower stem, which can reach a maximum height of {{convert|6|-|20|cm|abbr=on}} tall.{{cite web |title=Iris summary |date=14 April 2014 |url=http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/Iris/Iris_Summary.pdf |publisher=pacificbulbsociety.org |access-date=23 November 2014}}
It has generally 1–4 flowers per stem.
It blooms in the UK between April and June. In Armenia. it flowers from March to May and fruits from May to June.
The flowers can also be described as translucent yellow or icy blue,{{cite web|first=Alain| last=Franco|title=(SPEC) Iris pseudocaucasica Grossh. |date=20 April 2010 |url=http://wiki.irises.org/bin/view/Spec/SpecPseudocaucasica |publisher=wiki.irises.org (American Iris Society)| access-date=18 September 2014}} or creamy yellow, or light bluish–violet.{{cite web|first=Eleonora |last=Gabrielyan |title=Iris pseudocaucasica Grossh. |year=2001 |url=http://www.mnp.am/red_book_fauna/eng/p341.html |publisher=www.mnp.am|access-date=18 September 2014}}
The flowers have a perianth tube of 3–4 cm long and bracts 4–5 cm long. It has large winged standards,{{cite book | first= Claire | last=Austin | title= Irises: A Gardener's Encyclopedia | publisher= Timber Press, Incorporated | isbn = 978-0881927306 | year = 2005 | ol = OL8176432M | page=}} which are about 2 cm long. The pale blue forms have falls that have a yellow wavy crest.
It has an ellipsoid capsule, (produced after flowering) which is about 3.5 cm long, producing seeds about 4 mm long.
=Biochemistry=
As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes, this can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings. It has a chromosome count: 2n=20.
It has been studied in Iran during a karyotypic study in 2013, with Iris songarica, Iris aucheri and Iris sisyrinchium.{{cite web|last1=Chakhgari| first1=M.|last2=Mozafari|first2=J.|last3=Lahiji|first3=M. F.| title=Karyotypic study in some Iranian Iris species populations|year=2013 |url=http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20143088460.html;jsessionid=0278B2283114958A8F5083DD69603D6D| publisher=cabdirect.org |access-date =18 September 2014}}
Taxonomy
The specific epithet is derived from 'pseudo' from the Greek word meaning 'false' and 'caucasica' meaning from the Caucasus.{{cite book |last=Stearn |first=William |year=1972 |title=A Gardenerer's Dictionary of Plant Names |location=London |publisher=Cassell |page=264 and 82 |isbn=0304937215}}
It was first published in 'Vĕstnik Tiflisskago Botaniceskago Sada. Moniteur du Jardin Botanique de Tiflis' on pages 40–41 in 1916 by Alexander Alfonsovich Grossheim.{{cite web|title=Iris pseudocaucasica |url=http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=438997-1
|publisher=apps.kew.org |access-date=18 September 2014}}{{GRIN | accessdate=7 February 2018}}
Iris pseudocaucasica is an accepted name by the RHS,{{cite web|title=Iris pseudocaucasica |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/22519/Iris-pseudocaucasica/Details |publisher=www.rhs.org.uk| access-date=18 September 2014}} and it was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 4 April 2003, and then updated on 13 March 2017.
It is listed in 1995 in 'Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR)' by Czerepanov, S. K.{{Google books|52fdbx9XgC4C|Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR)|page=281}}
Distribution and habitat
=Range=
Iris pseudocaucasica is found in South East Turkey, North Eastern Iraq, North and North western Iran and the former USSR state of Armenia, (part of Southern Transcaucasia). It also can be found in Azerbaijan, and Nakhichevan, East Anatolia.
Within Armenia, it is distributed in Yerevan (central part of Urts mountain range) and Meghri (Aygedzor, Vardanadzor, Gudemnis, Shvanidzor, and Nyuvadi towns) regions. Due to the loss of the irises natural habitat, which has been caused by an expansion of the local mining industry, it has become a 'threatened' plant and is becoming rarer to find.
In Iran, it is found along the lakeside of the Chalus Gorge, north of Tehran, with in rock crevices,{{cite web|first1=Dr. & Mrs. R.|last1=Wallis| title=Iran Caspianto Kopet Dag |date=October 2009 |url=http://www.agscentralsussex.plus.com/2009-10.pdf |
publisher=agscentralsussex.plus.com (The Alpine Garden Society, Central Sussex Group)| access-date=18 September 2014}} and within Jahan Nama, Golestan,{{cite web|first1=S.M.|last1=Jafari|first2=H.|last2=Akhani|title=Plants of Jahan Nama Protected Area, Golestan Province, N Iran |year=2008| url=http://www.pakbs.org/pjbot/PDFs/40(4)/PJB40(4)1533.pdf |publisher=pakbs.org| access-date=18 September 2014}}
Only yellow-flowered forms of the species have been recorded in Turkey.
Habitat
Cultivation
It is hardy to USDA Zone 4.James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey (Editors) {{Google books|CkxWrDqtWLQC|The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification|pages=260 and 353}}
It prefers to be cultivated in well-drained soils with a high rock/stone content, that are in full sun but are protected from winter damp.{{cite web|title= Iris pseudocaucasica| url=http://www.rareplants.eu/shop/uploads/Html/Iris-pseudocaucasica_6871_1.htm| publisher= www.rareplants.eu |access-date=18 September 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Other sources
- Davis, P. H., ed. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands. 1965–1988 (F Turk)
- Euro+Med Editorial Committee Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource). (EuroMed Plantbase)
- Govaerts, R. World checklist of selected plant families (on-line resource). (World Checkl Sel Fam)
- Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. Flora SSSR. 1934–1964 (F USSR)
- Mathew, B. The Iris. 1981 (Iris) 162.
- Rechinger, K. H., ed. Flora iranica. 1963– (F Iran)
- Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest Flora of Iraq. 1966– (F Iraq)
External links
- [http://www.signa.org/index.pl?Display+Iris-pseudocaucasica-+1 Image of the iris]
- [http://photos.v-d-brink.eu/Flora-and-Fauna/Asia/Iran-Elburz-mountains-Western/i-p66hfzJ images of the iris in Elburz mountains,Iran]
- {{Commons category-inline|Iris pseudocaucasica}}
- {{Wikispecies-inline|Iris pseudocaucasica}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5903086}}