HYB: "claw" as a term

In a recent post about Luminatas I refered to the lack of color in "haft and
claw" as characteristics of luminatas.  I have discovered that "claw" is not a
term generally used any more to refer to the innermost part of the petals of
bearded irises.

The term, "claw" is used with Spurias, however, and does refer to a fairly
long part of the fall between where it begins to widen out to a showy width
and the perianth tube where the fall is attached.  The claw runs under the
fairly long style arm of the spuria form.  The statement is made in the
current *Handbook for Judgest and Show Officials" that a shorter claw is a
desirable feature in evaluating spuria varieties and new seedlings.  The term
is not used in the show bench judging sections; rather, it pertains to garden
judging and the judging of seedlings entered in shows.  So the term is not
obsolete in *spuria* descriptions, but not used in bearded descriptions.

I did note one remark in this current handbook that refers to the *haft* as
that part of the fall deepest into the heart of the flower, and which attaches
to the perianth.  No mention of "claw" appears in that reference.

Henceforth I won't use the word describing TB, etc. parts, as it does not
communicate any more.  My intention is to be clear, not cloud the issue by
using language learned several decades ago that are no longer in use.

Neil Mogenen  zone 7,  western NC

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