Reticulate Iris 2009

[tonyg]

I am re-posting the pic below.  It appeared about 3 weeks ago as Iris reticulata from seed collected in Iran.  Belatedly examining the leaves I now note it has almost round eight ribbed leaves ....  So it must be the recently discussed Iris bakeriana       This may also help to settle the matter of the imposter I bakeriana(s) - I am now happy that I grow both pure I bakeriana and 'Clairette' a bakeriana hybrid.  Now I await the next flowering of Iris bakeriana seedlings in the hope that next year I will have 2 or more clones and can get seed to share around.

[Lesley Cox]

And very beautiful it is Tony. The colour is as I remember my original bakeriana from 40+ years ago but I'm sure it didn't have the orange signal stripe. These litle irises must vary quite a lot in the wild, not surprizing when their habitat area is so large, but every one is a lovely thing. Is it scented? Many forms are.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Mistery solved then Tony... and positively so !
I agree with Lesley - it's a wonderful form !

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks Tony and David, just popped in from Galanthus corner to see what's happening in the real world!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

You still look a little pale Brian... 

[ashley]

So it must be the recently discussed Iris bakeriana       This may also help to settle the matter of the imposter I bakeriana(s) - I am now happy that I grow both pure I bakeriana and 'Clairette' a bakeriana hybrid. 

Comparison with Alan McMurtrie's form recently posted by David shows how extremely variable I. bakeriana must be. 
Then is an 8-sided leaf the key distinguishing characteristic for this 'species'? 

[Sinchets]

Some reticulata iris cultivars and hybrids from the bulb frame. Also one which is from an unlabelled pip growing outside - post vole attack- we think it might be a sophensis x danfordiae hybrid but are not sure which one.
Iris 'Halkis', 'Bold and Beautiful', 'Palm Springs', 'Velvet Smile', sophensis hybrid and 'Lady Beatrix Stanley'

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wow !  Very good start mr Sinchets !
Love the sophenensis hybrid !
(When do you plan to issue your first list ??  )

[Lesley Cox]

Comparison with Alan McMurtrie's form recently posted by David shows how extremely variable I. bakeriana must be. 
Then is an 8-sided leaf the key distinguishing characteristic for this 'species'? 

Yes. If it has less that 8 but more than 4 it is a hybrid between bakeriana and reticulata - or vice versa.

[ashley]

Thanks Lesley.  Frankly I'm amazed that Tony's and Alan's plants could be considered the same species

[David Nicholson]

I think the question of Iris bakeriana (or not!) has some strong similarities with the plight of the Oozlum bird which was renowned for flying round in ever decreasing circles before finally disappearing up it's own orifice

In Reply 178 on 13 February I posted a reply to my Email from Alan McMurtrie. In his reply Alan said "The bakerianas I know don't have a coloured ridge stripe"

In "Buried Treasures" Page 331 Janis says "..... it is not iris reticulata var. bakeriana (syn. I. bakeriana) which grows in Turkey and adjacent Iran and Iraq and is characterised by whitish claws, and whose flowers are blue and WITHOUT A YELLOW RIDGE ON THE FALLS"

In "The Iris" Brian Mathew suggests that there are forms (of bakeriana) in Iraq with a yellow ridge on the falls but Alan McMurtrie questions whether these are actually bakeriana at all.

Confusing ain't it?

My view, and God only knows I'm not really expert enough to have one, is that Tony has a very nice hybrid between Iris reticulata and Iris bakeriana which has taken it's leaf structure from the latter and it's ridge colour from the former.

Good job they don't have little green marks as well!

[David Nicholson]

After all that pontificating I forgot to congratulate our new friend Sinchets (do we really have to call you that?) on a lovely display of little Irises.

[Brian Ellis]

Good job they don't have little green marks as well!

[Sinchets]

After all that pontificating I forgot to congratulate our new friend Sinchets (do we really have to call you that?) on a lovely display of little Irises.

Well Simon will do. Sinchets is the name for Scilla bifolia- or often anyother blue flowering spring plant.

[tonyg]

I think the question of Iris bakeriana (or not!)
Confusing ain't it?
.... a very nice hybrid between Iris reticulata and Iris bakeriana which has taken it's leaf structure from the latter and it's ridge colour from the former.

Possibly but this was from wild collected seed so hybridisation is less likely than if it was seed from cultivated plants.  We clearly have only a snapshot not the big picture.  I recently saw some images of Iris reticulata taken by Michael Kammerlander.  The variation in the flowers was incredible, even more so than that on Alan Macmurtie's site.  I don't think that flower colour/markings is the best way to tell the species apart.  The leaf structure seems less variable BUT I would give credence to the idea that we may be dealing with one very variable species - we just need to see more bits of the jigsaw