RE: Iris hexagona

---

Sean’s post raises interesting questions.  I. hexagona was named based on a South Carolina specimen, but the iris apparently is all but extinct in South Carolina.  For a number of years I have been trying to locate a start in order to compare it to some Florida irises and those in Louisiana (where I live).  While some people do recognize I. savannarum, others do not, and, in fact, some apply I. hexagona to I. giganticaerulea in Louisiana. 

My question has long been where do “they” write this stuff down?  How could I find documentation that one species name is appropriate and another not? 

I am very doubtful that there is only one species in the Series Hexagona in Florida based on variation I’ve seen in growth  habit and bloom season.  But species are invented categories, and I don’t pretend to know how to apply them or where to draw lines.  However, there is clearly significant variation within I. hexagona-I.savannarum-I. giganticaerulea that “they” need to recognize and document.

I have some information on the Florida irises on my website that may be of interest:   http://zydecoirises.com/Species/Florida/FloridaIrises.htm

!  

Patrick