Iris subg. Nepalensis

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Iris subg. Nepalensis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Nepalensis
Lawr.

Iris subg. Nepalensis is one subgenus of Iris , also known as 'Himalayan irises'. It was formerly genus Junopsis.

Contents

The irises have fleshy-like roots very similar to a day lily ( Hemerocallis ). They are best grown in a semi-shady spot in a bulb frame. Most bulbs in the subgenus are found in the Himalayas and Yunnan region. [1]

Only four species are known.

Iris decora

This is the most known of the species. [2]

It has many synonyms: Evansia nepalensis (Klatt), Iris nepalensis (D.Don), Iris nepalensis var. khasiana (Baker), Iris sulcata (Wall.), Iris yunnanensis (H.Lév.), Junopsis decora (Wall.) Wern.Schulze, Neubeckia decora (Wall.) Klatt and Neubeckia sulcata (Klatt) [3]

It was first published in British Flower Garden Series 2, in 1829. [4] It was first described by Nathaniel Wallich in his book Plantae Asiaticae Rariores in 1830. [5] It was later published in then Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1969. [4]

It is hardy to USDA Zone 3. [4] It also requires frequent watering while in growth. [1]

Sometimes it is confused with Iris leptophylla (in Iris subg. Scorpiris). [6]

It has a rhizome covered in bristly fibres. [4] It is similar in form to the roots of Hemerocallis . [2] It reaches a height of 10–30 cm tall. [4]

It has 3–7 flowers per stem, [7] in the summer, June in the UK. [2] which are approximately 4–5 cm in diameter. [4] They come in a range of colours between pale bluish lavender and deep reddish purple. [7] [4] [2] The perianth tube measures 3.5–5 cm. The falls are up to 3.5 cm long. The blade has an orange-yellow central ridge that becomes white or purple at the apex. It has a whitish claw with purple veins. [4]

The leaves reach up to 30 cm at flowering time and then grow up to 45–60 cm tall later, [7] growing to longer than the flowering stem. [4] The strongly ribbed leaves [4] can be 2–8 mm wide. [8] [4]

Iris decora was found in 1832 on grassy hillsides on plateaus, open stony pastures, and cliffs at 2800–3100 m above sea level. [8] It can be found in the Himalayas from Kashmir to China. [4] In Sichuan, Xizang (Tibet), Yunnan, Bhutan, N India and Nepal of the Western Central Himalayas. [8]

A white-flowered form from Yunnan region has been described as Iris decora var. leucantha by D. Dong & Y. T. Zhao (Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 18: 150.) in 1998. [8]

Iris colletti

It was found in 1909, in North Burma, Thailand, Tibet and the province of Yunnan and Sichuan (in China). [1] [9]

It was named after Sir Henry Collett (1836–1901), who collected plants in most of those regions. [10]

It has been found growing in various habitats, including wood edges, clearings, shrubby areas, [11] and sunny grasslands. [9]

It can grow at altitudes of up to 3400 m above sea level. [10]

It has 3–7 lilac-blue flowers on a 5–15 cm tall stem. [1] The flower has a very long neck, similar to a crocus. It generally flowers in May – June. The flower has an orange caterpillar-like beard on the midrib. It also has ribbed, grey-green leaves which extend after blooming up to 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in). [10]

Two hybrids have been found: Iris collettii var. collettii and Iris collettii var. acaulis. Iris collettii var. acaulis (Noltie) was described in New Plantsman (magazine) in 1995. It was found at 2,200–3,700 metres (7,200–12,100 ft) above sea level, in the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan in China. [8]

Iris staintonii

Originally found in 1974 in Nepal. [12] It normally has a single mauve flower (about 3 cm) with bearded fall and is marked with white. [13] [6] It is deemed a rare plant in Nepal. [14] It was first published by Kanesuke Hara in Journal of Japanese Botany in 1974. [15]

It was given to Kew Gardens by an Oxford University team in 1992. [6] Other mentions. [13]

Iris barbatula

A recent discovery, it was described by Henry John Noltie and K.Y.Guan in 1995 in the New Plantsman 2: 137, [16] and was collected from N.W. Yunnan. [6] It has been found in open grassy areas and forest clearings, [11] and found on grassy plateaus at 2,400–3,600 metres (7,900–11,800 ft) above sea level. [8] It has three long-tubed purple to dark-violet flowers, which are about 5 cm across, and has a short subterranean stem. Unusually, it also has a fimbriate (fringed), almost beard-like crest. [6] It flowers between May and July. It has leaves that grow 9–19 cm tall and 2–5 mm wide. [8] It tends to form small clumps of bulbs after several years. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Alnus nepalensis</i> Species of plant

Alnus nepalensis is a large alder tree found in the subtropical highlands of the Himalayas. The tree is called Utis in Nepali and Nepalese alder in English. It is used in land reclamation, as firewood and for making charcoal.

<i>Lilium wallichianum</i> Species of lily

Lilium wallichianum is an Asian species of bulbous plants in the lily family native to the Indian Subcontinent and to Myanmar. It is native to India, as well as Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

<i>Hedera nepalensis</i> Species of vine

Hedera nepalensis is a species of perennial Ivy native to Nepal and Bhutan, as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, at altitudes of about 1000–3000 m. Plants grow up to 30 m in height, with simple leaves ranging from 2–15 cm long, and yellow flowers.

<i>Paris polyphylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Paris polyphylla is a species of flowering plant native to China, the Indian Subcontinent, and Indochina. It produces spider-like flowers that throw out long, thread-like, yellowish green petals throughout most of the warm summer months and into the autumn. In the fall, the flowers are followed by small, scarlet berries. It is a perennial, which slowly spreads, is fully hardy in Britain, and survives in leafy, moist soil in either complete or partial shade.

<i>Iris delavayi</i> Species of flowering plant

Iris delavayi is a species of flowering plant in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Sibiricae of the family Iridaceae. This rhizomatous herbaceous perennial comes from various provinces in China. It has grey-green leaves, long hollow stem, and 2 flowers in various blue shades. From dark violet, dark purple, purple-blue, dark blue to light purple. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

<i>Coriaria nepalensis</i> Species of shrub

Coriaria nepalensis is a shrub of the genus Coriaria. It grows in the foothills of the Himalayas. It blooms in spring and has bright yellow flowers and red fruits in summer.

<i>Allium fasciculatum</i> Species of plant

Allium fasciculatum is a species of onions known from the Himalayas of Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal, and the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan and Tibet. It grows at elevations of 2200–5400 m.

<i>Iris variegata</i> Species of flowering plant

Iris variegata, commonly known as the Hungarian iris, is a plant species in the genus Iris, also in the subgenus Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial from eastern Europe. It has dark green, ribbed leaves. The branched flowering stems can be as tall as the leaves, they can hold 2–3 flowers in summer. They are yellowish-white, with brown-purple veins on the drooping falls. It is very hardy and it is commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. There are several cultivars.

<i>Iris setosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Iris setosa, the bristle-pointed iris, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Iris of the family Iridaceae, it belongs the subgenus Limniris and the series Tripetalae. It is a rhizomatous perennial from a wide range across the Arctic sea, including Alaska, Maine, Canada, Russia, northeastern Asia, China, Korea and southwards to Japan. The plant has tall branching stems, mid green leaves and violet, purple-blue, violet-blue, blue, to lavender flowers. There are also plants with pink and white flowers.

<i>Iris tridentata</i> Species of flowering plant

Iris tridentata is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Tripetalae. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the Southeastern United States. It has a cord-like rhizome, bright green leaves, long stem and fragrant flowers in spring in shades of blue.

Iris forrestii is a species of flowering plant in the genus Iris, also the subgenus Limniris and in the series Sibiricae. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from China and Burma. It has linear grassy-like leaves, long thin stem and fragrant yellow or lemon-yellow flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris proantha is a beardless iris in the genus Iris, in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Chinenses of the genus. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial.

Iris latistyla is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Limniris and in the section 'Lophiris section, although it was thought to be listed within Iris subg. Nepalensis in some sources. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from Tibet and China, with violet or blue-purple flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris cuniculiformis 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 China, it has long and thin green leaves, and 1 lilac large flowers, that have yellow or grey beards. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris dolichosiphon 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 China and Bhutan. It has long, thin dark green leaves, very short stem, and dark blue, purple, or violet flowers. That are mottled with white. It has thick white/orange beards. It has one subspecies, Iris dolichosiphon subsp. orientalis, from China, India and Burma. It has similar flowers. They are cultivated as ornamental plants in temperate regions

Iris goniocarpa is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus of Iris and in the section Pseudoregelia. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from China, India, Burma and Bhutan. It has yellow green to dark green, long leaves, slender stem and, one flower between blue, lavender-blue, lilac, blue-violet or blue-purple. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

<i>Iris kemaonensis</i> Species of plant

Iris kemaonensis, the Kumaon iris, 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 Tibetan China, Bhutan, India, Kashmir and Nepal. It has light green or yellowish green leaves, that extend after flowering time. It has a short stem, 1–2 fragrant flowers that are purple, lilac, lilac-purple or pale purple. They also have darker coloured blotches or spots. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. It is often known as Iris kumaonensis, due to a publishing error.

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. It has pale green or light green thin leaves, slender stem, 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.

<i>Acroglochin persicarioides</i> Genus of flowering plants

Acroglochin persicarioides is a species of flowering plants in the plant family Amaranthaceae. It is distributed from the Himalayas to China. The systematic position of the genus Acroglochin in subfamily Betoideae is still uncertain.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Cassidy, G.E.; Linnegar, S. (1987). Growing Irises (Revised ed.). Bromley: Christopher Helm. pp. 144–145. ISBN   0-88192-089-4.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Austin, Claire (2005). Irises: A Gardener's Encyclopedia. Timber Press, Incorporated. ISBN   978-0881927306. OL   8176432M.
  3. ↑ "Iris decora Wall". theplantlist.org. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey (Editors) The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants:A Manual for the Identification , p. 258, at Google Books
  5. ↑ "Iridaceae Iris decora Wall". ipni.org. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Canadian Iris Society cis newsletter Winter 2013, Volume 57, Issue 1" (PDF). www.e-clipse.ca. 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Stebbings, Geoff (1997). The Gardener's Guide to Growing Irises. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p. 18. ISBN   0715305395.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Noltie, Henry J.; Mathew, Brian (2000). "Flora of China 24: 297–313" (PDF). www.eflora.cn. p. 10. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  9. 1 2 Basak Gardner & Chris Gardner Flora of the Silk Road: The Complete Illustrated Guide , p. 319, at Google Books
  10. 1 2 3 "Pacific Rim Native Plant Nursery". www.hillkeep.ca. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 "Beardless Irises". www.pacificbulbsociety.org. 14 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  12. ↑ "Nepal Checklist". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Edit History: Filed as Iris staintonii H. Hara. (family IRIDACEAE)". plants.jstor.org. 26 September 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  14. ↑ Tej Kumar Shrestha Wildlife of Nepal: A Study of Renewable Resources of Nepal Himalayas , p. 579, at Google Books
  15. ↑ "Iridaceae Iris staintonii Hara". ipni.org. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Iris barbatula Noltie & K.Y.Guan, New Plantsman 2: 137 (1995)". apps.kew.org. 1995. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
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