Iris sikkimensis
| Iris sikkimensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Iris |
| Subgenus: | Iris subg. Iris |
| Section: | Iris sect. Pseudoregelia |
| Species: | I. sikkimensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Iris sikkimensis | |
| Synonyms[1][2] | |
|
Iris kamaonensis caulescens Dykes | |
Iris sikkimensis is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris and in the section Pseudoregelia. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from Sikkim (a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayan mountains). It has pale green or light green thin leaves, slender stem (similar height to the leaves), 2 or 3 lilac or purple flowers, with a white beard with orange tips. It is thought to be a hybrid of Iris hookeriana and Iris kumaonensis.
Description
[edit]It has a slender, gnarled rhizome, which has the fibrous remains of old leaves on the top.[1][3][4] It forms clumps of plants.[3]
It has pale green,[1][4][2] or light green leaves,[3] that can grow up to between 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long (at flowering time),[1][2] and between 1.2 and 2 cm wide.[4][2] After flowering, they extend up to between 30–45 cm (12–18 in) long.[1][2] They are linear, erect,[3] ensiform (sword shaped),[1][4] and semi-deciduous.[3]
It has a slender stem, that can grow up to between 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tall.[2][5][6] The stem appears in April,[3] from a tuft of 4 reduced Basal leaf leaves.[1][4]
The stem has pale green, lanceolate spathes (leaves of the flower bud). They are (scarious) membranous, in the top third of the leaf and along the edges.[1][4][2]
The stems hold 2 or 3 terminal (top of stem) flowers,[1][4][2] blooming between March and April.[3]
The flowers come in shades of lilac or purple, with a darker mottling.[2][6][5]
It has a deep purple, trigonal,[1] 3.5–5 cm (1–2 in) long perianth tube,[4][2] and a 1.2–2 cm long pedicel.[1][4]
Like other irises, it has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals), known as the 'standards'.[7] The falls have an obovate (narrower end at the base) shaped blade,[1] they are 6.2 cm (2 in) long and 2.5 cm wide.[2] The haft (or part of the petal beside the stem) is wedge shaped and white with purple blotching,[1][4] or marbling.[3] In the centre of the petal is a white beard with orange tips.[1][3] The erect standards are oblong, 5 cm long and 2 cm wide.[2] They are lighter in colour to the falls, pale mauve,[2] or lilac,[1] with a fainter mottling of a darker shade.[1][4][2]
It has narrow, deep purple styles,[1][4] with faint stripes,[2] or pale at the edges,[1] and are 2.5 cm long.[2] The style branch has triangular crests.[1] It has pale violet filaments, bi-lobed stigma and creamy white anthers.[1][4]
It also has a green ovary, that is 2 cm long, mottled and striped purple.[1][2]
After the iris has flowered, it does not produce a seed capsule or seeds.[2]
Biochemistry
[edit]As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes, this can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.[7] It has a chromosome count: 2n=22[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]It is sometimes commonly known as 'Sikkim Iris'.[1]
It is pronounced as (Iris) EYE-ris (sikkimensis) sik-im-EN-sis.[8]
The Latin specific epithet sikkimensis refers to the region of Sikkim (Indian Himalayas) where the iris was found.[9]
Mr William Rickatson Dykes had received this plant originally from Mr. Barr (a plant collector with Messrs. Barr. & Sons,[2]) in about 1906, and was labelled Iris kamaonensis caulescens.[1] He then published and described the iris as Iris kumaonensis var. caulescens. 4 years later, he changed his mind after raising the plant from seed in his garden. He thought that it was a distinct species in its own right.[2]
It was then published and described by William Rickatson Dykes in his book 'The Genus Iris' (Gen. Iris) on page134. in 1913,[10] or 1912.[11][12]
It is similar in form to both Iris hookeriana and Iris kemaonensis, but the range of both irises does not spread as far as the Himalayas.[3][2] Due to the fact that Iris sikkimensis does not set seed, it has thought to be more of a hybrid species between the two.[12][1][3] The lack of seed production has also meant it is thought to be extinct in the wild.[2] It is also very rare in cultivation, specimens have been lost in Indian herbaria and botanical gardens. No plants are found in the UK as well.[2]
It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 9 January 2003, then updated on 1 March 2007.[11]
It is listed as an 'unresolved name' in The Plant List.[13]
Iris sikkimensis is an accepted name by the RHS, it was also last listed in the 'RHS Plant Finder' in 2010.[14]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]It is thought to be native to temperate Asia.
Range
[edit]It was found in Sikkim, in India,[11][10][5] within the eastern Himalayas.[6]
It was listed in 'Flowering Plants Of Sikkim' in 2008.[15]
Cultivation
[edit]It is hardy, and can survive winter frosts. It can also tolerate moisture during the winter. But prefers to have a dry period during the summer.[3]
A specimen of the iris can be found in 'The Arboretum and Botanical Garden' of the University of Bergen in Norway,[16] and it can also be found in University Botanic Gardens of Ljubljana in Slovenia.[17]
Propagation
[edit]It can only be propagated by division as it seems not to produce seeds.[2]
Toxicity
[edit]Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), and if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting. Also, handling the plant may cause a skin irritation or an allergic reaction.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Franco, Alain (2 December 2013). "(SPEC) Iris sikkimensis Dykes". wiki.irises.org (American Iris Society). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Bahali, D. D. (25 November 2005). "Does Iris sikkimensis Dykes occur in India?" (PDF). Current Science. 89 (10). Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Chapter I (Part 7) Pseudoregelia". irisbotanique.com. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m British Iris Society (1997) A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation, p. 107, at Google Books
- ^ a b c "Iris summary" (PDF). pacificbulbsociety.org. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ a b c Kramb, D. (2 October 2004). "Iris sikkimensis". signa.org (Species Iris Group of North America). Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ a b Austin, Claire (2005). Irises; A Garden Encyclopedia. Timber Press. ISBN 0881927309.
- ^ "Species Iris, Iris sikkimensis". davesgarden.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ D. Gledhill The Names of Plants, p. 353, at Google Books
- ^ a b "Iridaceae Iris sikkimensis Dykes". ipni.org (International Plant Names Index). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ a b c "Iris sikkimensis". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
- ^ a b Dykes, William (2009). "Handbook of Garden Irises" (PDF). beardlessiris.org (The Group for Beardless Irises). Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ^ "Iris × sikkimensis Dykes is an unresolved name". theplantlist.org. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "Iris sikkimensis". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ Singh, Paramjit; Sanjappa, M. (2008). "Flowering Plants Of Sikkim- An Analysis" (PDF). sikkimforest.gov.in. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Iris sikkimensis". irisbg.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ "Iris sikkimensis". botanic-gardens-ijubljana.com. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ David G Spoerke and Susan C. Smolinske Toxicity of Houseplants, p. 236, at Google Books
Other sources
[edit]- Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third.
- Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 68.
