Re: Re: sibtosa or setsib (classifications)

I'm not sure if I should tread in these waters, but here goes.  There was a 
feeling a few years ago that some worthy irises were being overlooked by the 
AIS awards system.  One group was the species irises that weren't covered by 
any of the existing awards, for example, Ii. cristata, tectorum, versicolor, 
and on and on.  Another group was the species that could have been included 
in existing award catagories but were being ignored (in favor of the larger, 
more  ruffled, colorful, flaring...the more highly bred).  Good examples of 
these are the bearded species (like Iris aphylla) and the 40 chromosome 
siberians.  So the SPEC class and award were created to encourage work with 
these neglected irises.  The AIS classes and award categories are not based 
on taxonomy, and the SPEC class intentionally overlaps some other classes.  
It is up to the hybridizer to choose which class a plant belongs in - SPEC, 
SPEC-X or .....SIB for example.  "...If he/she feels it is more 
'species-like'" then he/she can register it as a SPEC or SPEC-X.  This comes 
from the judges handbook page 187.  

Last year Jan and I introduced Forward and Back, an  I. sibirica.  We could 
have registered it as an SIB or SPEC but we chose SPEC.  It is the nicest 
specimen of sibirica that we have grown - tall, small flowered and 
wonderfully budded.  SPEC seemed like the more appropriate class.  This year 
we are introducing a plant called Floating Candles.  Its parents are Sarah 
Tiffney and Enid Burgoyne.   Sarah Tiffney is a child of an I. sibirica (Snow 
Prince) so that Floating Candles can be registered as a SPEC-X as well as an 
SIB.  It is delicate, small and very "species-like" but it is a yellow 
amoena, which makes it very special.  We decided to register it as a SPEC-X.  
We have several other seedlings from Sarah Tiffney and are registering those 
as SIBs.  It just seems to us that they are more like garden siberians and 
less "species-like".  It is not an exact science - just our judgement.  I 
think the system works pretty well.  Registering Forward and Back as SPEC 
alerts the species enthusiasts that it is a pure species iris and promotes 
the registering of other especially good forms of species.  It would probably 
not receive any attention in the SIB class from the judges and in the species 
class it might.  Siberian enthusiasts can see from the registration 
"SPEC-sibirica" that it might be interesting to them as well.  

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