Re: Re: Iris bervicaulis

Thanks for the comments.  Keep 'em coming!

Yeah, it's definitely brevicaulis.  The wild population grows in a forest 
along the edge of a bog.  There are no trees inside the bog so the irises 
receive a few hours of direct sunlight per day otherwise they get that high 
filtered shade.

I'm going to relay these comments back to the nursery and propose a couple 
of experiments.  One idea is to erect a shade cloth over part of the patch 
to see if that has any impact on the seed formation (or if possible 
relocate some of the irises to a semi-shady spot).  The other idea is to 
hand pollinate some flowers.  That would help them to investigate the 
theory of lack of natural pollinators.

I got to take a home a few plants, but I want to grow them out for a couple 
years before distributing them.  If they offer me any more, I'll get some 
for you.

Dennis in Cincinnati



At 09:00 AM 9/4/2004, you wrote:
>Dennis,
>
>Hate to ask this but are you sure you have true brevicaulis? What you 
>describe sounds like what i see frequently with Iris schrevei.  Iris 
>brevicaluis in central Illinois is a woodland or woodland edge species 
>that runs!!!!  I have been growing it for 20 years, all documented wild 
>collected material form central Illinois. The rhizomes are thin even when 
>they are very healthy. For me seed set seems related to moisture available 
>during flowering. A couple of good soakings  during flowering helps. I 
>always got better seed set when I grew them in the grape arbor in shade 
>than when they are grown in sun. I have been under the opinion that this 
>species may be pollinated by ants, with the flowers just off the ground 
>like they are on brevicaulis. I have observed ants on the flowers. Could 
>your plants be hybrids???
>
>I would be willing to trade if you are interested.
>
>Stan Tyson
>Rivendell Botanic Garden
>Central Illinois zone 5



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