Re: SPEC: I. Reticulata
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: SPEC: I. Reticulata
- From: R* T* D* <r*@sierratel.com>
- Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 16:18:12 -0700 (MST)
Tom Tadfor Little wrote:
>
> >> 2. A large-flowered very dark violet self, with long segments, flaring
> >> falls, and an unusually large amount of white blotching around the crest.
> >>
> >> Is it PAULINE?
> >>
> >
> >No, I think I have this one identified. In my new Botanica book there
> >is a picture of it. It is a good picture and looks identical. Dark,
> >wine-violet self with a white spotted signal...no orange or yellow. It
> >is called "Purple Gem". The majority (over a hundred bulbs) are this
>
> That's a likely candidate. However, I was dissuaded by the commentary in
> _The World of Irises_:
>
> "Purple Gem is a dark red violet with velvety falls. It is early,
> floriferous, well formed, and hardy. Inexplicably, the true plant is now
> rarely sold."
>
> ..which rather begs the question of what "false plant" is now commonly
> sold...
>
> ;)
>
> Cheers, Tom.
>
Ummmm maybe "Pauline" is a candidate. I just got the Jacques Amand
catalog with many pictures of retics. Nearly side by side is "Pauline"
and "Purple Gem". They are close! The only difference I see is that
there seems to be more separation of the signal dots on Purple Gem.
Pauline's signal seems more streaked. Purple Gem looks to match the
picture in Botanica. Do you have "Frank Elder" or "Katharine Hodgkin"?
These are wows!
Rick Tasco
Superstititon Iris Garden
Central California
Zone 8
