Iris Seed Identification

In a message dated 96-09-05 23:59:33 EDT, you write:

>Recently I collected some seeds from what I assumed were Louisiana irises.
>However, now I'm not so sure that they weren't Japanese irises.  The seeds
>look fairly large, about the size of a large chocolate chip. However, they
>are cinnamon colored with a somewhat rough textured surface, yet a little
>sparklely in finish, like an emory board.  Some of the seeds are complete
>little disk shapes while others are irregular or more wedge shaped like
>orange slices.  Most of the pods were elongated, about 2 to 4 inches in
>length, and varied in dryness and color (yellow to black).  I have a JI in a
>pot that I know is definitely a JI and it has a smaller rounded seed pod
>than the plants from which I collected the unknown seeds.  The plants from
>which I collected seed also had rhizomes which ran along the top of the
>ground.
>
>
The fact that the rhizomes ran along the top of the ground means the seeds
you have did NOT come from I. ensata (Japanese iris) or from Siberian irises.
 Japanese iris seeds normally are very thin, like maple seeds (but different
in shape of course).  If your seeds came from Louisiana irises (Series
Hexagonae) the seed pods were elongated with 6 ridges (that is where the
series gets its name, i.e. hexa=six.  Your seeds are most likely from either
Louisianas or from some form of Ii. virginica, versicolor or pseudacorus.
  Without actually seeing them it is hard to say.  But they are not from
Japanese irises.    

As an aside, irises that thrive around water tend to have seeds that float
when put in water.  This is, of course, how they survive...i.e. by their
seeds travelling by water to some new site.  Hope this is helpful. Clarence
Mahan drowing in Virginia while the sun is shining.
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