Re: Iris suaveolens and reichenbachii
- Subject: Re: Iris suaveolens and reichenbachii
- From: T* &* M* R*
- Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 12:23:27 +1200
Vavourakis wrote:
>
> I couldn't find these irises in any book I have. Could one be the tiny
> spring-blooming pale yellow iris I see on Mount Pendelis? It is at home among
> the cyclamen under the halepensis pines, etc. Only the small silvery-olive
> leaves have been evident recently if they haven't disappeared with all the hot
> weather we've had. The plants are petite, less than 10 cm tall. Is this the
> plant under discussion?
>
Hi Karen
I happen to have Bulbs (The bulbous plants of Europe) Grey-wilson and
Matthew which has the information you are looking for.
Your pale yellow Iris certainly sounds like I suaveolens. It used to be
known as I. mellita and you may have it described under that name.
However the book apparently lists it as a native only for Crete. Mind
you, it is widely cutivated and could easily have become naturalized. It
can also occur in purple forms. It flowers in April-May. Some forms have
a purple leaf margin, but this is not a constant feature.
It is a real tiny, smaller than I reichenbachii. This is some of what
the book says about them.
I Reichenbachii (A native of Greece and also in cultivation.) Low to
short plant 5-30cm tall. Flowers one or two violet blue, dirty
purplish-brown or dull yellow. with darker veins. beard yellow or
purplish, flower tube 1.5-3cm long. Flowers from May to July.
The spathes of I. reichenbachii have a sharp keel and this distinguishes
them from all other European bearded irises except I. suaveolens which
has a longer flower tube (3.5-5cm) and a dwarfer habit..
Seems you mainly need to measure the length of the flower tube to tell
one from t'other
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand, SW Pacific. 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Time
