Re: Re: rebloomer MTB
Sounds like exciting work, Vicki, and I can't wait until these little
cuties are available. I love little things.
Vicki Craig wrote:
> Hi Foley,
>
> I'm glad you have become involved with iris. Great garden subjects!
> I know there are quite a few of newer iris growers who aren't familiar
> with chromosome counts. I wasn't thinking and I apologize. Today's
> modern Tall Bearded iris, and I am going back 40 + years, are nearly all
> 48 chromosome. They are refereed to as tetraploids. Tetraploid TB's
> carry 4 sets of 12 chromosomes, hence the 48 count. By far the iris
> which are in the median classification i.e. Intermediate, Miniature tall
> bearded, and standard dwarf bearded iris tend to be anywhere from 24 C
> (diploid) to 44 C in count. Pumila (species behind most SDB's) is a 32 C
> tetraploid as it contains 4 sets of 8 C's each.
>
> Hope I haven't confused you more.
>
> We have specialized in miniaturizing the modern TB's while maintaining
> 48 C in the small iris. Some species I. aphylla have clones with 48 C
> yet are quite small. They also tend to be very fertile with the TB's
> which in turn allowed us to get seedlings that are quite fertile.
> Several are both pod and pollen fertile others are either pod or pollen
> fertile.
>
> Vicki
