Thank you. El. I do find it all interesting, you know, the people and such. Absolutely fascinating!
I have come to the conclusion that so much information about garden irises--and here I do include the Iris species, yes-- comes to us in oversimplified form. The botanists oversimplify their way, typically leaving out any social history and what might be learned from it, not to mention very useful, if often anecdotal, information about collection and commercial activity, while the iris history crowd has erected a pantheon of greats, irises and folks, which it celebrates reverently, but this pantheon is too far limited and parochial. We don't need heroes, we need insights, and information, and the people who have been involved in these scientific and horticultural pursuits matter.
Back when I was working on my book on the Rev. C. S. Harrison, who was an early promoter of garden Irises in the US midwest, and a totally amazing fellow, almost as cool as Max, I suddenly felt like someone had thrown open a window in a stuffy drawing room in which sat people each telling the other the same three boring stories, over and over, and let the smell of the earth in. I've got a big project in the works on the horticultural history of Iris persica, with particular attention to the American south. Been working on it for years. And that really will be an interesting story!
AMW
-----Original Message-----
From: Eleanor Hutchison <eleanore@mymts.net>
To: iris-species@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, Jan 11, 2011 11:48 am
Subject: Re: [iris-species] Prairie Iris Article
You always have such interesting stories, Anner.
My one and only clump of I lactea marks the entrance into my bog garden, where it looks daintily pretty, whether in flower or not.
El, Ste Anne, Manitoba, Canada Z3
From: C*@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 9:59 AM
To: i*@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [iris-species] Prairie Iris Article
Yes, I agree with Eleanor. Issuing corrections is perfectly respectable, regardless of what sort of error one considers one has made. Max Leichtlin insisted upon publishing a detailed one in--as I recall-- The Gardeners' Chronicle about what he sent out as Iris Bornmuelleri. Sir Michael Foster wrote of the situation in his book on bulbous irises:
"a little yellow Iris growing in the South of Cilicia, imperfect specimens of which many years ago the accomplished traveller and botanist, Mrs. Danford, sent to Mr. Baker. This he described as I. DanfordiÃ. Quite recently Dr. BornmÃller rediscovered the same plant in another region of Asia Minor, namely Amasia, and Mr. Max Leichtlin happily obtaining a supply, distributed it under the name I. BornmÃlleri, given by Haussknecht. Though the plants collected by BornmÃller vary somewhat, and Baker's description, being founded on imperfect specimens, was not complete, there can, I think, be little doubt that we are dealing here with the same species, and the earlier name Danfordià should therefore be used. "
As for I. lactea, well, if there is any one other little Iris species which has caused so much name shuffling and problems in the literature, I am not aware of it. Iris lactea, ensata, biglumis, pallassii-- and those just off the top of my head. I don't wonder that people get turned around. I have grown it, of course, and it is pleasant enough, but, in the immortal words of Saki speaking of the Balkans, it always tends to produce more bother than it can consume locally.
Happy New Year to you, Jim.
-----Original Message-----
From: Eleanor Hutchison <e*@mymts.net>
To: i*@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, Jan 11, 2011 10:25 am
Subject: Re: [iris-species] Prairie Iris Article
Morning Jim and all.
It took me a few minutes to recall which magazine article you're talking about. I do now remember reading that about lactea in your article. You could always get the editor to post one of those corrections.
Interesting that you mentioned lactea though, as just yesterday I was trying to figure out what crosses with it. I got an OP seed pod off mine this past fall, but I'm pretty sure there was only 1 bloom stalk this year. Perhaps it crossed with itself.
El, Ste Anne, MB Z3
From: g*@sasktel.net
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 1:27 AM
To: i*@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [iris-species] Prairie Iris Article
To all of you who may have read my article I hope you can forgive me for mistakenly putting Iris lactea in the Spuria group. I misread a description of this Iris which lead to such a result. I was hoping someone would take some editing license with the article.
Jim in Saskatoon
