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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
