Dear Iris Species,
Jim Murrain allowed me use his account to respond to a
recent
series of notes.
First, the info on both the printed and web
versions of the
seed list clearly states "Correct seed identification is not
guaranteed, but based on information supplied by donors." Few people
realize the state of seed donations to SIGNA, but there are many
challenges. Identifying or even verifying seed ID is essentially
impossible except in a few extreme and very obvious situations. We
rely
on donor accuracy.
Second, I think it is essential for every gardener to
give
some doubt to every new plant acquisition until it has been observed
for a few growing seasons and confirmed that it it fits to some valid
source materials. I usually leave the original tag, but often add a
second corrected tag. Many gardeners never 'notice' that their 'I.
songarica' is actually I. lactea (one of the most common errors).
Confirmation should start with the given ID.
Third, seed like dormant
bulbs or dormant plants, are very
easy to confuse. At some point, they all
look pretty much alike and
there are few people who can ID a seed or bulb to
exact species. At
the Seed Ex we make extra efforts to work on only one
packet at a
time. Labels always stay with each donation. If any seeds are
dropped or left on the counting table they are discarded, never
tossed
back into a prior packet. We hope that donors are as
conscientious.
Finally, each seed packet consist of seeds from a
single
donor. There are many reasons.
1. Recipients can contact
either the Seed Ex or the
donor direct to ask questions and feed back about
ID among other
things.
2. Prospective buyers may have more 'faith' in
some
donors than others. We suggested the possibilities of combining
donations for each sp or cv, but SIGNA members objected loudly.
Buyers
wanted to pick donors as well as variety.
3. Seed recipients may find
that the donor is a
'neighbor' and have the opportunity to communicate
easily and
directly.
So it is extremely import to us as Seed Chairs
to get
accurate information about seeds, donors, collection info,
identification etc. We try to transmit the essentials in every seed
list. It is equally important to each recipient to look at the seeds
and
resulting plants, which brings me to Sean Zera's recent question
about
ID.
Dear Sean,
When I read you question and saw the picture, my first
thought was Iris delavayi. The form is obviously siberian, but the
shape
and habit of the style arms in particular suggest a 40
chromosome sib. The
fact that the first bloom stalk was about 1 m
also suggested I delavayi and
the mid-June bloom in MI sort of sealed
things. The donor I see was also a
neighbor from MI.
Before I would have started a series of 'complaints'
about
mis-IDed seed, I would have looked at some literature on the species,
checked web sites and tried to contact the donor. I don't think I
would
have assumed wrong ID , but tried to see if it fit the info on
the ID as
given. I suspect you didn't look very far before you jumped
to the
conclusion that the ID was in error.
I have seen literally thousands of I
delavayi in bloom in
China and the US, but not in MI, and this seems the
most obvious. If
you give this plant generous spring water (I have seen it
growing in
flowing water), acid soil and tlc, the 2nd year bloom stalk could
approach double this height. Then read up about I delavayi and see
what
else might fit quite as well.
The new seedlist will come out soon.
Donations are down
significantly. I urge all members of this seedlist to
save seeds and
donate later this year. We welcome your orders and appreciate
your
membership.
Thanks Jim Waddick, SIGNA Seed Ex co-chair
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri
64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F
+
