Re: Tetraploidy (in TB's)

Jeff,
When I posted on tetraploidy, I hesitated to mention that modern bearded
irises are tets, because TB's aren't my "thing" and that piece of
information was stored in the "hear say" portion of my memory
bank...but...

Now that you've brought the subject up, was tetraploidy in TB's induced
by human intervention as it has been with daylilies, Sibs and JI, or did
it occur naturally? Since most bearded irises are tetraploid, how did
they get that way. In my mind, I have created a scenario where autumn
crocus (Colchicum spp) was growing beside I. pallida or some other
species that I know little about in some part of Asia Minor that I know
even less about and Voila! this wonderful flower appeared. 

I'm almost sure that it wasn't due to the painstaking trial and error
methods like those that Dr. McEwen used with Siberians and Japanese
irises, borrowing from Orville Fay and his work with daylilies. 

Just curious on Delmarva.

R. Dennis Hager (Zone 6-7)


> Perhaps we take it so much for granted that we even tend to overlook the
> fact, but nearly all modern bearded irises are tetraploids, and the results
> have been so spectacular that it can well be argued that no other
> ornamental plant has so clearly demonstrated the potentialities of
> tetraploidy. As a single example, true pink color in bearded irises is only
> expressed in tetraploids, although the specific genes that produce it were
> present in the diploid ancestors of pink tetraploid irises.
> 
> Jeff Walters in northern Utah  (USDA Zone 4/5, Sunset Zone 2, AHS Zone 7)
> jcwalters@bridgernet.com

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