Luminata Article

Here is th electronic version of the Luminata article Marilyn Harlow 
mentioned last week.


THE LUMINATA COLOR PATTERN 	(Report of ad hoc committee: Keppel, Nelson, 
and Stahly, Ch.)

In 1972 the Median Iris Society's Genetics Study Panel* defined the term 
luminata as follows "Luminata is a genetically reproducible anthocyanin 
pattern having its color present in an irregular marbling in the central 
areas of the petals and absent in the peripheral areas. The marbling 
effect is produced by non-anthocyanin veining (white or yellow), and there 
is no anthocyanin in the hafts, the stylearms, or the beard."

We propose to modify that definition in light of developments since it was 
published. There are now luminatas where the "lighter" areas are pigmented 
by carotenoids so as to be yellow, pink, orange, or some combination or 
variation of those colors. There are also examples where the anthocyanin 
coloring continues up the side of the haft essentially into the heart of 
the flower. And occasional]y the upper part of the style arm may be 
lightly banded or flushed with what appears to be anthocyanin coloring. 
The margins (peripheral areas) of the petals may vary from a pronounced 
"pale" edge to only a slight lighter effect at the margin

We therefore present the following definition: "Luminata is a genetically 
reproducible anthocyanin pattern having its color present in an irregular 
marbling in the central areas of the petals and absent to some degree in 
the peripheral areas The marbling effect is produced by non-anthocyanin 
veining (white, yellow, pink, or orange), and there is no anthocyanin in 
an area to either side of the beard (which area may or may not extend to 
the edge of the petal) or in the beard itself.

"The luminata pattern can appear by itself or in combination with the 
plicata pattern; when in combination the patterns superimpose one upon the 
other, leaving practically none of the flower conspicuously absent of 
anthocyanin coloration. The combination condition is generally referred to 
as luminata-plicata, or 'lumi-plic'."

Descriptively, then, the luminata has these characteristics:

1. The beard and an area to either side of the beard are white or are 
colored with carotenoid pigmentation (yellow, pink, or orange).

2 Style arms are similarly colored, although there may be light 
anthocyanin-like coloration on the upper portion.

3. Petals are marked in irregular patterns (described as brushed or 
marbled) with an anthocyanin color which diminishes in some degree toward 
petal-edges. The marbling is produced by veining of a non-anthocyanin 
color (white, yellow, pink, or orange). Petal margins may have a 
pronounced non-anthocyanin edge or rim, or the edge may have only a slight 
lightening of coloration; or the effect may be anywhere between these 
extremes. The degree of anthocyanin marking ranges from very heavy and 
dark to a very light brushing.



"Luminata -- Fancy in the Altogether," AIS Bulletin, April 1972


-- 
John                     | "There be dragons here"
                         |  Annotation used by ancient cartographers
                         |  to indicate the edge of the known world.
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