Iris cuniculiformis

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Iris cuniculiformis
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Iris
Section: Iris sect. Pseudoregelia
Species:
I. cuniculiformis
Binomial name
Iris cuniculiformis
Synonyms [1]

Iris goniocarpa var. grossa Y.T.Zhao

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 (or similar shade) large flowers, that have yellow or grey beards. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Contents

Description

It has very short upright rhizomes, [2] [3] that are 1.5 cm long and 0.7 cm in diameter. [4] It has fibrous secondary roots underneath the rhizome. [4] It slowly forms dense clumps of plants. [2] [3] [4]

It has dull, [2] or dark green leaves, [3] that are 13.5–30 cm (5–12 in) long and 0.2–0.9 cm wide. [2] [4] They are pointed at the apex (lanceolate-like), [4] [5] and have inconspicuous veins. [2] [4]

It has a slender stem, that can grow up to between 14–30 cm (6–12 in) tall. [4] [6] [7]

The stem has 2 or more, spathes or bracts (leaves of the flower bud), [2] [4] they are 3–5 cm (1–2 in) long. [2] [4] The spathes are green, elliptic (in shape), [2] and have a purple tinge at the base of the leaf. [4]

The stems hold 1 terminal (top of stem) flower, [2] [3] [4] blooming between May and July. [2] [3] [5] The flowers can survive for many days. [4]

The flowers are 6–7 cm (2–3 in) in diameter, [2] [4] [5] come in shades of lilac. [4] Including pinkish violet, [2] [6] mauve, [8] purple, [3] [7] lavender, [7] and blue-violet. [5] [7] [9] They are similar in colour to Iris sibirica flowers. [9]

It (like other irises) 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'. [10] The falls are 4.25–5.5 cm (2–2 in) long and 1.9 - 2.3 cm wide. [2] [4] They have a yellow or grey beard, on a white signal patch. [2] [3] [4] On the edge of the petal, are purple or violet veins, [2] [3] [4] mottling or spots. [2] [6] The standards are 3–4 cm (1–2 in) long and 1 – 1.2 cm wide. [2] [4] They are slightly paler than the falls. [4] [6]

It has a 2.8–3.3 cm (1–1 in) long and 1.6 cm wide style. [2] [4] Which is similar in colour to the petals, but has pale margins. [4] It has a 1–2 cm long perianth tube, 1-1.4 cm long cream anthers, [2] [4] and cream coloured pollen. [4]

After the iris has flowered, between June and August, [2] it produces a seed capsule and seeds. Which have not been described. [4]

Biochemistry

In 2006, 13 species of Iris in China, including Iris japonica , Iris wattii and Iris cuniculiformis were studied for a cytological analysis of the chromosome counts. [11] [12]

In 2011, a study was carried out on various irises found in China. Including Iris tigridia , Iris bloudowii and Iris cuniculiformis. [13]

As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes, this can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings. [10] It has a chromosome count: 2n=22, the same as Iris dolichosiphon (another Pseudoregelia iris). [11] [13] It has also been noted as 2n = 26. [3]

Taxonomy

It is pronounced as (Iris) EYE-ris (cuniculiformis) kun-e-ku-lee-for-miss. [7] [14]

It is written as 大锐果鸢尾 in Chinese script and known as da rui guo yuan wei in Pidgin. [2] It is translated as large sharp fruit kite Tail. [13]

The Latin specific epithet cuniculiformis refers to being shaped like a small rabbit. [15] The standards of the flowers are similar in form to rabbits ears. Hence, the name. [4]

A herbarium specimen exists in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh collection. It was found on 12 June 1993, collected by Mr Kunming, (from Edinburgh) on a ridge of a forest in Diqing Prefecture of Zhongdian County, China. At an altitude of 3600m above sea level. [16]

It was first published and described by John Henry Noltie and Kai Yun Guan in 'New Plantsman' Vol.2 Issue3 page131 in 1995. [6] [17] [18]

It was thought at one time to be a hybrid or synonym of Iris bulleyana , [5] or a synonym of Iris goniocarpa (another Pseudoregelia iris). [3]

It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 4 April 2003, then updated on 2 December 2004. [18]

Iris cuniculiformis is an accepted name by the RHS. [19]

It is listed in Encyclopedia of Life. [20]

Distribution and habitat

Iris cuniculiformis is native to temperate areas of Asia. [18]

Range

It is found in China, [16] in the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan. [17] [18] [20] Including, found on Hong Shan mountain. [8]

Habitat

It grows in the mountains, in open spaces, [3] in grassy plateaus, [2] [4] [8] and in shrubberies. [8]

It is often found in the same places as Iris bulleyana . [4]

They can be found at an altitude of 3,000–4,000 m (9,800–13,100 ft) above sea level. [2] [3]

Cultivation

It is hardy to between USDA Zone 8 (−12.2 °C (10 °F)) and Zone 11 (above 4.5 °C (40 °F)). [7] [14] Also RHS rating of H4. [9] In Australia between Zones 2 to 5. [14]

It can be grown in loamy soil which is enriched with compost. [4] It can tolerate mildly acidic (6.1 to 6.5) to mildly alkaline (7.6 to 7.8) ph level soils. [7]

It prefers to grow in full sun, [7] or partial shade. [4] [5] It will bloom better, if it receives six or more hours of direct sunlight every day. [14]

It has average (garden plant) water needs. [7]

It may suit a position in the front of a flower border. [14]

It was only recently (around the 90s), introduced to Britain. [4]

Propagation

It can be propagated by division or by seed growing. [7]

Seeds are collected from the pods after flowering. Seeds are then sown in containers in a cold frame in autumn. [7]

Toxicity

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 skin irritation or an allergic reaction. [7]

Related Research Articles

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

Iris confusa (; also known as the bamboo iris is a species of iris, it is also in the subgenus Limniris and in the section Lophiris. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, native to Western China. It has flowers which range from white to a soft lavender or pale blue in colour, with orange-yellow crests and purple dots. The plant's broad, shiny leaves are attached to bamboo-like stems. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

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

Iris milesii is a plant species in the genus Iris, subgenus Limniris and in the section Lophiris. It is a rhizomatous, beardless perennial plant, native to the Himalayas, India and China. It has pinkish-violet, or pinkish purple, or pinkish-lavender or pinkish lilac flowers, with a fringed yellow or orange crest. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

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

Iris bulleyana is a species in the genus Iris, also the subgenus Limniris and in the series Sibiricae. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from South west China, including Myanmar and Tibet. It has long thin green leaves,

Iris subdichotoma is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Limniris and in the section Lophiris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from Tibet and China, with pale blue, blue-purple, purple, violet or white flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

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

Iris wattii is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Limniris and the section Lophiris. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant. It is native to China, Burma and India, it has lavender or light blue flowers. It is also known as 'Bamboo Iris'. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris mandshurica is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus of Iris and in the Psammiris section. It is a rhizomatous perennial, it is found in Russia, China, and Korea. It has green sword-like leaves, smooth green stem and yellow flowers, with yellow-purple veining and a yellow beard. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

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

Iris hoogiana is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris and in the section Regelia. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the grassy mountainsides of Turkestan. It has long green leaves, which are slightly purple at the base, and a long slender flowering stem. The flowers are blue, ranging from sky-blue to lavender blue and blue purple. It has orange or yellow 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 hookeriana</i> Species of plant

Iris hookeriana 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 the Himalayan mountains of India and Pakistan. It has long pale green or yellow green leaves, long slender stem and fragrant blue, purple or lilac flowers, that are mottled with a darker colour. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris ivanovae 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 eastern Russia, China, and Mongolia.

<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 leptophylla 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 thin, long grey-green leaves, long slender stem and 2 fragrant purple, blue-purple, violet or lavender pink flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris narcissiflora 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 pale green, thin, sword-shaped leaves, medium-long slender stem and 1 yellow flower. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris psammocola 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 grass-like leaves, short stems, yellow flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

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>Iris tigridia</i> Species of plant of the genus Iris

Iris tigridia 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 Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia and China. It has dark green or greyish green, grass-like leaves, a short slender stem and a single flowers that are either violet, dark blue, blue-purple, dark purple, mauve, lilac, lavender, or light purple. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris cypriana is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from Cyprus. It has narrow, glaucous and evergreen leaves, tall slender stem, with 2–3 branches, and 1–3 large flowers in lavender, lilac, red-lilac, to dark purple shades. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. It is listed in some sources as a synonym of Iris germanica.

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

Iris scariosa is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the mountainsides of Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China. It has sword-like, or sickle shaped, blue green or grey-green leaves, a short flowering stem, 3 or 4 membranous or semi-transparent flower bud leaves, 2 violet, reddish violet, lilac, blue-purple, or blue flowers in late spring, with yellow or white beards. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. It was merged with another similar iris in the region, and Iris glaucescens became a synonym of Iris scariosa, before being divided into two separate species again. Although some sources still call it the main species, despite a slight colour difference.

Iris perrieri is a plant species in the genus Iris; it is also in the subgenus Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the Savoy Alps in southern France and recently in Italy. It has green, deeply ribbed, sickle shaped leaves, a slender stem with a branch, 1–3 scented flowers that are violet or purple, with a white or pale blue beard. It is rarely cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions, due to its rarity in the wild. It was once thought to be a form of Iris aphylla, before cell (chromosome) analysis determined it to be a separate species.

References

  1. ↑ "Iris cuniculiformis Noltie & K.Y.Guan is an accepted name". theplantlist.org (The Plant List). 23 March 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "FOC Vol. 24 Page 311". efloras.org (Flora of China). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Chapter I (Part 7) Pseudoregelia" (in French). irisbotanique.over-blog.com. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 British Iris Society (1997) A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation , p. 99, at Google Books
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Iris cuniculiformis ACE 2224". hessenhof.nl. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Franco, Alain (4 December 2013). "(SPEC) Iris cunuculiformis Noltie & Guan". wiki.irises.org (American Iris Society). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Species Iris, Iris cuniculiformis". davesgarden.com. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Basak Gardner & Chris Gardner Iris cuniculiformis , p. 319, at Google Books
  9. 1 2 3 "Iris cuniculiformis". cgf.net (Cotswold Garden Flowers).{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  10. 1 2 Austin, Claire (2005). Irises; A Garden Encyclopedia. Timber Press. ISBN   978-0881927306.
  11. 1 2 Shen, Yun-Guang; Wang, Zhong-Lang; Guan, Kai-Yun (2007). "Karyotypes of thirteen species of Iris L. from China". Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica. 45 (5): 601–618. doi:10.1360/aps06064. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  12. ↑ Shen, Yun-Guang; Wang, Zhong-Lang; Guan, Kai-Yun (2007). "Karyotypes of thirteen species of Iris L. from China". Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica. 45 (5): 601–618. doi:10.1360/aps06064 . Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 Xiaoying, Bi; Chih, Zhao Wei; Yang, Zheng; Dongsheng, Li (2011). "Orris root crude Chromosome technology and karyotyping" (PDF). Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin. 27 (13): 157–160. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Iris cuniculiformis". gardenaway.com. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "Botanary". davesgarden.com. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Holotype of Iris cuniculiformis Noltie & K.Y.Guan [family IRIDACEAE]". plants.jstor.org. Retrieved 18 July 2015.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  17. 1 2 "Iris". ipni.org (International Plant Names Index). p. 143. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Iris cuniculiformis". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  19. ↑ "Iris cuniculiformis". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  20. 1 2 "Iris cuniculiformis". eol.org. Retrieved 18 July 2015.

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