Tom; You have asked some good questions about SPEC-X as a class. Even though I lead the campaign for this class and chaired the committee that presented it to the board, I do not believe many people have a clear understanding of this class. I am interested also in what other judges think and how they consider this class.
I know there has been considerable grumbling among some species enthusiasts that have not been happy with the fact that two bearded crosses won the Medal. There was always an undercurrent of thought that these iris should only be first generation crosses with a species and that if a plant should qualify for an extablished class it should not go into the SPEC-X. I strongly disagree with these thoughts because the consequences of making the class more restrictive would discourage a great deal of experimentation. One of the reasons why hybridizers bother to grow species is to bring new genes and characters into the gene pool. Presently the established classes have become more and more rigid in their expectations. For example, you can always find the ruler police out to get cultivars that exceed a size limit on one side or the other. Because of this if an SDB does not grow right around 12 inches, it has little chance of winning an award. If it tends toward one side or the other of the size scale chances are it will bloom out of class in some season and get a bad rap. Most all the bearded classes have become very formulaic when it comes to what is considered good. Plants are not judged on whether they make good garden plants, but on how well the fit the set paradigm created in each judges mind. SPEC-X is troubling to many judges because there is no paradigm and they have to think.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Waters" <irises@telp.com>
To: iris-species@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 2:21:37 PM
Subject: [iris-species] Re: SPEC-X
Thanks for the tip, Bill - I had seen the seed exchange page but got the impression it was for 2011.
--- In i*@yahoogroups.com, Bill Chaney <billchaney@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Tom,
>
> SO good to hear someone else is working with bearded species! I will let others
> with more experience address your questions, but I wanted to point out that the
> Median Iris Society just posted the first of the seed lots they are offering in
> their new Seed Exchange. Several great species crosses from Cindy Rust. Check
> it out!
>
> Be aware that more seed lots will be added soon, but you can order now! The MIS
> is a great source of information and seed, and check out the other great offers
> they have for the spring, including a chance to buy Paul Black unnamed seedlings
> before they are named and introduced!
>
> Bill
>
> http://www.medianiris.com/got-seeds.shtml
>
> and
>
> http://www.medianiris.com/auction.shtml
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Tom Waters <irises@...>
> To: i*@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Mon, November 22, 2010 6:28:02 AM
> Subject: [iris-species] SPEC-X
>
>
> Greetings all,
>
> I've been acquiring various bearded and aril species to begin hybridizing with.
> Naturally, my thoughts are running ahead to some future time when I may have
> seedlings to be considered for registration and distribution.
>
> When I was last involved in the iris world, the SPEC and SPEC-X classes and
> there respective awards were just getting going. Now that they have been around
> for sometime, I wonder if a consensus has developed around when it is
> appropriate to register a hybrid as SPEC-X, as opposed to another established
> class that it also meets the requirements for.
>
> My understanding is that this is entirely at the registrant's discretion, but I
> would still like to hear everyone's thoughts. As a species enthusiast, how do
> your expectations differ if an iris is registered as SPEC-X rather than, say,
> MTB, AB, etc. Do you have in mind some notion of "distance from species" in
> distinguishing SPEC-X from other classes? If you are a judge, do you view
> award-worthiness differently for SPEC-X cultivars than for those registered in
> the established classes?
>
> Although I am working with bearded and aril irises, the same questions arise
> with respected to the beardless classes as well.
>
> Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
>
> Tom
>
