After sklmming over posts from you and Neil in i*@hort.net archives, I
have the impression that fewer pigments are known to be present in
bearded irises in the plastids (i.e., yellow & pink) than in the
vacuoles (many anthocyanins).

Is that your understanding also, Chuck?

Are the modifiers and co-pigments mostly in the plastids or vacuoles, or
is that known? & is it known how many there are?

<No chain of dominance and many forms can be present in same flower.
This is without considering all the modifiers and co-pigments.>

Now that I've <finally> lined out the seedlings from "cloud shadows" X
ABOUT TOWN and seen how robust and floriferous that anthocyanin "pink"
amoena is, I might want to try to modernize the form a bit, but haven't
a clue what kind of genes to cross it with to keep from losing that
intensity of color. & from your comment, it sounds like this may be one
of those unknowables.

<While a lot of research has been done on pigments, (the chemistry that
is ) very little has been done on how these pigments translate into
flower colour>

Linda Mann east TN USA zone 7
ahhh, cool, wet and foggy. Wonderful change in the weather.