OT:(trivia) Iris iberica
- Subject: OT:(trivia) Iris iberica
- From: B* S*
- Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 09:04:16 -0500
One of the parents of the very important hybrid IB-MAC is Iris
iberica. This oncocyclus species is a native of the Caucasus region
in Russia and has several subspecies, one of which, I. i.
elegantissima, is often pictured in iris books.
I was curious about the name of this iris, since "iberica" could be
taken as referring to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) far
from where the iris occurs. A recent discussion on an internet list
for botanists inadvertantly answered this longstanding question for
me.
It turns out that there is a region in the Caucasus, now part of
Georgia (and that's another story!), called Iberia. It is from this
region that the iris, and many other plant and animal species, were
given their names. Iberia was named for a tribe, the Ibers or
Iberians, who were once widespread from the Caucasus to Spain, but as
other tribes expanded, dwindled to those two regions. One Russian
correspondent said that the modern Basques and the north Georgians
are the descendents of this ancient tribe and share common features
of their languages.
Just thought you might be interested!
--
Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<wshear@email.hsc.edu>
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"It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know. I
do not get nearer by a hair's breadth to any natural object so long
as I presume that I have an introduction to it from some learned man.
To conceive of it with a total apprehension I must for the thousandth
time approach it as something totally strange. If you would make
acquaintance with the ferns you must forget your botany."
--Henry David Thoreau, Journals, October 4, 1859
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