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.
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]
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]
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]
It is thought to be native to temperate Asia.
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]
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]
It can only be propagated by division as it seems not to produce seeds. [2]
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]
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.
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]
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]
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]
It is thought to be native to temperate Asia.
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]
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]
It can only be propagated by division as it seems not to produce seeds. [2]
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]