REF: Color Patterns for Dummies

Hello Talkers,

OK, I admit it.  In spite of the fact that I've read every post on 
iris-talk and spent endless hours perusing iris sites online for the 
last year, I'm still essentially an iris newbie in desperate need of 
some basic info.  As you extremely knowledgeable folks discuss
plicata 
genetics, I want to know, "What IS a plicata, and where can I see 
photographic examples of such?"  Just so you don't think I'm a 
complete moron, I have read several definitions of plicata, and I do 
have an idea which irises fit into that category, but written 
definitions only take my understanding so far.  I'd still like to see 
specific examples with a brief description of the markings that 
qualify them as plicatas.  What, exactly, are stripes?  Dots?  
Stipples?  Stitching? Peppering?  Is Chuck Chapman's "ring factor" an 
expression of plicata?  Is "umbrata" an expression of plicata?  At 
what width does a wire edge become a halo or a ring? Are stripes an 
expression of plicata or of broken color ... or is broken color
itself 
an expression of plicata?  Which cvs are examples of each of the
above 
(or any other color pattern: bitone, bicolor, blend, self, amoena, 
etc.)?  

Now I have an idea.  I'd like to develop a section on my website to 
include photographic examples of as many of the iris patterns as 
possible, along with "Iris Pattern Descriptions for Dummies" that
even 
I can understand (no in-depth genetics discussions, just 
straight-forward descriptions).  Unfortunately, I have very few iris 
pics of my own at this point, so I could only produce this 
photographic tutorial with  assistance from the folks on this list. 
I 
would be happy to provide photographic credit and site links to
anyone 
who would be willing to offer photos for use in this project.  

Pattern descriptions will be the hard part.  The recent difference of 
opinion here regarding what qualifies as a variegata taught me that 
much.  I suppose the best way for me to handle that is to acquire as 
much information as possible about each given pattern and then to use 
the most frequently expressed and easily understandable definitions
to 
match available photos.

Is any of this making any sense, or am I just rambling over the 
keyboard?  Am I getting ready to bite off a WHOLE LOT more than I can 
chew?

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Laurie
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