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Iris subg. Iris

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Iris subg. Iris
Purple bearded iris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Subfamily: Iridoideae
Tribe: Irideae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Iris
B.Mathew

Subgenus Iris is one subgenus of Iris.

Iris as a plant was originally named by Carl Linnaeus in his book Systema Naturae (in 1735), with a great number of species being added into the genus. Including new ones that were found after the book's publication. The division of irises into various subgroups, has taken various forms over the years. By the 19th century botanists had created new genera such as Evansia, Hermodactylus, Moraea, Oncocyclus, and Xiphion. Opinion was often divided whether to split the genus into several parts or lump them back into Iris. From J. G. Baker, who separated some such as Moraea and Xiphion from Iris in his book 'Handbook of the Irideae' (published in London) in 1892. Then William R. Dykes, who clarified the situation by a compromise in his monograph The Genus Iris (by Cambridge University Press, 1913; later reprinted in 1974 by Dover). He was the first to term the subgroup as Iris sect. Iris. G. Rodionenko [ru]'s 1961 reclassification in The Genus Iris (written in Russian, Moscow, 1961) was more comprehensive in that he split the genus into five genera: Iris (which included all rhizomatous irises).[1] A taxonomic revision by Brian Mathew in 1981 (The iris, New York: Universe Books), recognized six subgenera: Nepalensis Dykes, Xiphium (Miller) Spach, Scorpiris Spach, Hermodactyloides Spach, Iris L. and Limniris Tausch.[2] Recently, DNA analysis has been used to determine groupings.[3]

The Iris subgenus has been divided into six sections; bearded irises (or pogon irises), Psammiris, Oncocyclus, Regelia, Hexapogon and Pseudoregelia. Sections Oncocyclus and Regelia are also called aril irises.

Section bearded irises (or pogon irises)

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Close-up of the flower, showing the yellow hairs of the 'beard'

This is the largest section of the subgenus, the true bearded irises. Most irises come from Southern or eastern Europe.[2] 'Pogon' refers to the Greek word for beard.[4] It has several species of iris including;

Bearded iris cultivar 'Stepping Out'

It also includes thousands of ornamental plant cultivars, which have been divided into various height categories.[5]

  • MDB – Miniature dwarf bearded
  • SDB – Standard dwarf bearded
  • IB – Intermediate bearded
  • BB – Border bearded
  • MTB – Miniature tall bearded
  • TB – Tall bearded

Psammiris

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This section of irises was first described by Spach. Most of the Irises come from Russia and Northwest China. Mostly rhizomatous, and flowering in late spring.[2] 'Psammiris' is derived from the Greek word psammos for sand.[4]

Iris humilis subsp. arenaria

It includes;

Oncocyclus

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Iris atropurpurea from Israel

Oncocyclus irises are rhizomatous perennials. They also generally need rich soils that drain easy and are in full sun. Most also prefer a dry period after flowering.[7] The Oncocyclus irises are mostly from Turkey, Caucasus and Iran. The plants usually have only one flower,[2] which is veined or spotted.[8] Some of these species have been bred with bearded irises to create unique colours and markings.[2] Oncocyclus is a Greek word, with onco meaning mass, or bulk, and cyclus meaning circle.[9] In 1846, the term 'Oncocyclus' was first used by C.H. Siemssen as the Genus Oncocyclus in 1846 in Botanische Zeitung. Baker then re-classified it to a subgenus in 1877, than Dykes lowered it to a section in 1914, where it currently remains.[10]

Regelia

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Iris hoogiana

Mostly from the mountainous regions of Iran, Afghanistan and the Altai Mountains.[11] Most irises have a stem that has 2 flowers.[2] It was named in 1904 by Robert Lynch in his book The Book of The Iris after Dr Regel.[12]

Hybrids of Regelia irises and Oncocyclus irises are known as Regelicyclous.[13]

Hexapogon

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Mostly from the desert area of Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan. Most irises have beards on the falls and standards.[2] Etymologically, hexa refers to the number 6 and pogon refers to the Greek word for beard.[4]

Pseudoregelia

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Mostly from the mountainous regions of Eastern Asia. Most irises have flowers that have blotches or colour spots on.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "The Genus Iris". mathcs.clarku.edu. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Stebbings, Geoff (1997). The Gardener's Guide to Growing Irises. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p. 18. ISBN 0-7153-0539-5.
  3. ^ Samad, Nour Abdel; Dagher-Kharrat, Magda Bou; Hidalgo, Oriane; El Zein, Rana; Douaihy, Bouchra; Siljak-Yakovlev, Sonja (15 August 2016). "Unlocking the Karyological and Cytogenetic Diversity of Iris from Lebanon: Oncocyclus Section Shows a Distinctive Profile and Relative Stasis during Its Continental Radiation". PLOS ONE. 11 (8): e0160816. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1160816A. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0160816. PMC 4985135.
  4. ^ a b c Stearn, William (1972). A Gardenerer's Dictionary of Plant Names. London: Cassell. p. 211. ISBN 0-304-93721-5.
  5. ^ Morris, Jim (2011). "Bearded Iris Classifications". www.irises.org (American Iris Society). Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  6. ^ British Iris Society A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation, p. 60, at Google Books
  7. ^ Christopher Brickell RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers , p. 521, at Google Books
  8. ^ "Aril Irises". pacificbulbsociety.org. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  9. ^ Saad, Layla; Khuri, Sawsan (4 August 2003). "Hanging in There by a Fall – The Oncocyclus Irises of Lebanon" (PDF). orbi.ulg.ac.be. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  10. ^ Pries, Bob (11 June 2014). "Section Oncocyclus". wiki.irises.org. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  11. ^ Cassidy, G.E.; Linnegar, S. (1987). Growing Irises (Revised ed.). Bromley: Christopher Helm. pp. 144–145. ISBN 0-88192-089-4.
  12. ^ The book of the iris, by R. Irwin Lynch. www.biodiversitylibrary.org. p. 116. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  13. ^ Christopher Brickell RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers, p. 610, at Google Books
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