Re: RE: pallida and variegata distribution

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Chuck (& everyone)

 

It would be interesting to know more details about the plants in the photos of "Iris pseudopallida" and about the one in the link you supplied to a photo of "I. cengialtii".  To me both look like normal I pallida, but I have no idea how large they are.  Admittedly the photos of "pseudopallida" show dark flowers and decidedly brownish spathes, but to me that is just evidence of normal variation within the populations, not necessarily indicative of something different; however, it isn’t very conclusive evidence without the details.  It would be nice to know where the plant in the "cengialtii" photo was from.  The pseudopallida certainly isn't from near the "traditional" locations for cengialtii, but not so far from the Mostar dot on your map. 

 

I have been looking more closely at photos of my three "cengialtii" clones, and the 'Munich Blue' and 'Loppio' actually look quite different from the 'Mostar'.  The flower shape and coloration (patterning) are different.  So, they may not really be that closely related, but they are similarly small in size.  'Mostar' should perhaps not be called "cengialtii" at all?  In flower form and some other details it looks like it could have genes from I. variegata (or "reginae").

 

Perhaps I. pallida is just variable over it's entire range?  That really wouldn't be unusual.

 

Here are a couple of citations that might prove interesting.  I have not looked them up yet.

 

Mitic, B. (1991). Karyological analysis of some populations of the species Iris pallida, Iris illyrica, and Iris pseudopallida (Iridaceae). Acta Botanica Croatica 50: 91-98.

Nikolic, T. and B. Mitic (1991). Phenetic relationships within populations of Iris illyrica, Iris pallida and Iris pseudopallida (Iridaceae) with regard to morphological characteristics of epidermis. Acta Botanica Croatica 50: 99-106.

Are these ones that you've seen?

 

Dave