Re: Spec-X?

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Paul; It is not unusual that two Irises out of the same cross might be registered as two different classes. This has been happening since registration began. It is also not unusual that hybridizers have had a choice as to how they wish to register an iris since from the beginning criteria for registrations have overlapped because they are built on different parameters.

One case that drives me nuts when entering plants into the Encyclopedia is the definition of an IB. Historically IBs where Intermediate in bloom period. The size standards came somewhat later. Many of the early collected Iris germanica were registered as IBs  because they bloomed just before the other Tall-bearded of the day. But not all of these were of the height that we now think of as IB. Todayâs standard for IBs puts bloom season in second place to the size qualifications and I am certain that some modern IBs do not bloom until TB season.

Our Classification system continues to be refined and I would hate to see it so rigid that an Iris could only be registered one way. Bradâs choice to register two siblings in different classes  can not be judged. What he saw under his conditions only he can say. He may also have chosen two routes because he wanted to point out the parentage to the species enthusiasts but did not wish to overwhelm the group with irises that not all in the group would appreciate. One can not know what motives were there but I think we should be generous in judging them.

If one studies all the groups of Iris you will see a great many cases where the hybridizer could have chosen a different class and this has been so since the beginning.