Photo: I. reichenbachii diploid form

---

Hello, all.....

 

   Thomas Silvers posted a photo of the tetraploid form of I reichenbachii collected from the Varda Gorge.  His photo shows brown veining on the falls.  I. reichenbachii is widespread, growing from Greece into Bulgaria, the southern area of what was originally called Yugoslavia, and into Romania. The blooms can be yellow, purple, or violet....sometimes veined darker.  I have never seen the purple or violet forms.  The photo below was taken in my garden, and is the diploid form and is the common yellow variety.  Here in eastern Washington State, it grows to 5", so it would be classed as MDB in height.  We have cold winters and are classed as high desert plateau, so that probably accounts for its height here.  I have no idea what height it grows to in the areas of the U. S. that have warmer, milder winters.  The tetraploid form, which Thomas posted, I also grow, but it has not yet bloomed for me.

 

    If Thomas or anyone else wants to see what can be done with I. reichenbachii, just go to Lowell Baumunk's catalog website  www.iriscolorado.com  and click on "new introductions".  You can scroll down and find three 2008 introductions from John Taylor that involve I. reichenbachii.  They are FOURSOME, HUTCH, and SHERMAN.  If you then click on "previous introductions" and scroll down, you will find Harald Mathes' GLADBECK YELLOW (named after his hometown of Gladbeck, Germany).  Also in the previous introductions section is John Taylor's VULTEE (2006).  Currently, my small clump of Gladbeck yellow is about to bloom, and it looks as if Vultee may be budding as well.  I checked the AIS registrations, and I. reichenbachii has been used as both pod and pollen parent.  So below is a photo of the diploid form.

 

Elm