Re: Re: setosa, hookeri, tridentata, var. canandensis and var. arctica

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A quick look at the SIGNA checklist in the section cultivars listed by species under I. hookeri will tel you that there are 5 registered crosses of hookeri, 2 with siberian Iris and 3 with setosa.

tesilvers <tesilvers@yahoo.com> wrote:

Thanks to everyone for all the information.
So, to sum it all up, so far.
1)Iris setosa has 2n=38.

2)Most people would probably agree that I.tridentata is a distinct
species. It may have some relation to the Louisiana iris species. It
may or may not hybridize with setosa. But having 2n=40, the offspring
might have fertility problems. Consider: "the Hexagonae species have
chromosome counts that vary little--from 2n=42 for I. fulva and I.
nelsonii to 2n=44 for I. brevicaulis, I. giganticaerulea, and I.
hexagona." -(from Society for Louisiana Irises webpage @
http://sliris.bizland.com/aboutsli/history1.html)

3)Iris hookeri should probably be considered a separate species in
spite of gross morphological similarity to setosa, because studies
have shown it to have "very distinct chemical differences." I'm
guessing it will cross with setosa rather easily??

4)As for Iris setosa throughout the western North American and Asian
range, distinct groups probably exist. These may be interfertile but
probably are being kept somewhat separated by geography and habitat
preferences. For example: visit this site about two forms of setosa
in Alaska (http://www.alaska.edu/opa/eInfo/index.xml?StoryID=105).

Do the western Northern American I.setosa and the eastern I.hookeri
overlap ranges in the middle? Has anyone ever hybridized setosa with
Louisiana irises?