Reticulate Iris 2009

[Otto Fauser]

Last year MB sent out something different as Iris bakeriana.  It looked a lot closer to the real thing!
This is last years pic but they're just opening now and have increased nicely.

   
  Tony , your photo looks very much like I. ret. 'Clairette' which I have grown for decades ,
it is an old I. ret. x bakeriana cross, and has 6-8 ribbed leaves ., and also similar to
 the other cross I. ret. 'Springtime'   

[David Nicholson]

Otto, Tony's bakeriana or Clairette doesn't look like my Clairette and I was assuired, last year, that my Clairette was not a 'ringer'. How does it compare with yours?

[Lesley Cox]

If the colouring of the top pic is true, I'd be pretty sure it's bakeriana with 8 sided leaves. 'Clairette' and 'Springtime' with me never have 8 sides, usually 6-7. I honestly can't tell these two apart unless thet're in flower at the same time, which they never are here.

[art600]

Unless it is a trick of the light, Tony's plant has different coloured falls

[BULBISSIME]

here is Iridodictyum kopetdaghensis .
I'm not sure it's a valid name but as Iris kopetdaghensis does allready exist (Juno ), it's difficult to get the same name for 2 different plants !
In fact, I think it should be considered as I. reticulata's form, from Kopet-Dag 
Just flowering now in the bulb frame.

[art600]

Fred

A very nice Iris and exactly like mine - nice to have confirmation. 

[Lesley Cox]

It is indeed, very beautiful, but surely is (just) I. reticulata?

[tonyg]

If the colouring of the top pic is true, I'd be pretty sure it's bakeriana with 8 sided leaves. 'Clairette' and 'Springtime' with me never have 8 sides, usually 6-7. I honestly can't tell these two apart unless thet're in flower at the same time, which they never are here.

The colour in the top picture is almost completely true.  I have checked the leaves and they are not exactly round but have 8 (ish - its difficult to tell with the hand lens which I cannot find ) ribs  ie the are not 4 ribbed square like Iris reticulata.
Mathew in Smaller Bulbs says "The form in cultivation  has whitish falls with a deep violet apex and conspicuous violet spots and blotches around the central ridge; the standards and style are bluish-lilac.  ...... nearly cylindrical leaf with 8 ribs; all its relatives have 4 ribbed square sectioned leaves."  He goes on to note variation in flower colour in wild populations in Iran.
I only doubt its validity because it was a real bargain at the price!!!!  Also I would like the real Clairette to compare with it.  I think you posted recently concurring with my idea that Clairette has bakeriana as a parent, so it might have 8 ribbed leaves.

David - sorry mate but you nice plant does not look to be the same thing.  Perhaps yours is indeed Clairette but the blue in yours is quite different, at least in the pic.  It would be nice to check the leaves but I gather it is too late

Below is a close-up of the fall and the leaves of my putative Iris bakeriana.  You can see 4 ribs in a side view of the leaves.

Rix and Phillips show a different plant in 'Bulbs'.  I show it below.  They note that it is a "commercial stock sold under the name of Iris bakeriana."  It looks completely different but the leaves could well be right for I bakeriana.  Two pages earlier they illustrate Clairette which looks exactly like my plant but with shorter leaves at flowering.  Cannot see enough of the leaves to make a comparison.

On balance I think I have the plant that Rix and Phillips are calling Clairette
The good thing is that it is beautiful, healthy and vigorous

[David Nicholson]

Here is Iris reticulata 'Halkis' named by Norman Stevens (Cambridge Bulbs) who collected the original from Mount Halkis, Turkey.

[Anthony Darby]

I have Iris kolpakowskiana out at the moment, but it got wrecked by meeces, so it's not worth the pic.

[Lvandelft]

This is one I like very much too David!
It has all the right proportions and colour combination.

[Anthony Darby]

Oh well, if you insist? My mouse eaten Iris kolpakowskiana.

[Lvandelft]

Oh well, if you insist? My mouse eaten Iris kolpakowskiana.

Well, if I had a snake.....  

[Lesley Cox]

Well Anthony, it's ALMOST lovely. A fine, healthy Oxalis you have there too. Pity the meeces don't dig and eat THOSE bulbs.

[Lesley Cox]

'Halkis' is a good one David. No foliage at bloom time?