Wow, Deb,
you certainly have seen a few setosas! From the description you gave of
the Japanese forms, what is typical in Europe may be derived from them.
Iris setosa is not found this far West from the Siberian populations.
What we grow is certainly based on selections in most cases.
As to hybrids, crosses of setosa and siberica are more or less
infertile. If one wants to check, attempt to cross the plant and see
what results one gets. A sib-tosa crossed to a setosa should not
produce much viable seed, if any. One would expect sibtosa hybrids to
be quite a bit taller than the species, with possibly larger flowers.
Another thought, there is a sister species, I. tridentata (tripetala),
which is very similar. I've not seen it.
Also, to clear the name a bit more from the fog of latin, seta(e) is/are
a stiff hair, versus long flowing hair. Often used to refer to
bristle-like structures on animals (setae).
--
Jamie V.
_______________________
Köln (Cologne)
Germany
Zone 8
akdebshort schrieb:
> Yes, Iris setosa has a wery wide distribution.
>
> I have been trying to figure out Iris setosa subspecies, forms, and
> variations for quite a few years, and do not profess to know about
> all of the finer details. My experience has only been reading every
> book and internet source (in English) that I can find on I. setosa
> and photographing all I can find. (I flew 350 miles north to
> Fairbanks just to see Iris setosa interior (and the many variations
> that Larry Duffy had collected and donated) in bloom this past
> summer.)
>
> Iris setosa (subspecies ?) I have seen and photographed in the wild
> in the Russian Far East, the wild collected Iris setosa interior
> collection(of forms collected up to 50 years ago) at the
> Georgeson Botanical Garden in Fairbanks, Ak, I. setosa canadensis in
> a friend's (Anchorage) garden, and Iris setosa var. arctica
> (purchased as plants from two diverse sources,) and Iris setosa nana
> (which I cannot find any literature on but is much more petit than
> I.s. arctica forms I have.) All have the very small bristle-like
> standard that are
> no larger than 1/4 inch in the largest of these flowers. I seldom
> travel out of Alaska during the summer to see I. setosa from other
> wild stocks in bloom.
>
> According to the literature, I.s. hondoensis Honda or Kurosawa (in
> Japan) has standards 1 1/8 inch tall. I.s. var. nasuensis Hara or
> Kurosawa (also in Japan) is said to have standards 3/4 inch and is
> thought to probably be a hybrid. I.s. form platyrhyncha Hulten (from
> Aleutian Islands and other coastal Alaskan areas) is said to have
> standards larger and wider that I.s. setosa, but how much larger is
> not clear. I have not been there yet.
>
> If the meaning of setosa means "with hair" I suppose I beleived
> someones interpretation that took that to mean that it was the
> standard that was being referred. Several sources say bristle-like
> standard, maybe an interpretaion of "with hair." I do not actually
> know where I was told "setosa" meant roughly (by inference ???)
> without standard. (Another good point to investigate! :) )
>
> Perhaps with the wide distribution of members to this group we will
> be able to send in photos from wild stocks of Iris setosa. (I still
> do not see how photos are attached to these messages - like so many
> of you have done. Are there directions posted somewhere?)
>
> I am giving a talk on Irises that grow here to the Anchorage Master
> Gardeners this coming March and would love to have this figured out
> before then. If anyone has source material, recommendations for
> further reading, or photos that I could use for the talk and my
> personal understanding, please feel free to send them my way.
>
> thank you for this discussion,
>
> Debbie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
