Biology:Iris humilis

From HandWiki
Short description: Species of plant

Iris humilis
Iris humilis (Sand-Schwertlilie) IMG 8456.JPG
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Iris
Section: Iris sect. Psammiris
Species:
I. humilis
Binomial name
Iris humilis
Georgi
Synonyms[1]
  • Iris humilis f. foliata Iris dahurica
  • Herb. ex Klatt Pall.
  • Kuntze Iris rupestris
  • Iris flavissima subsp. transuralensis Salisb.
  • Iris flavissima Ugr.
  • (Georgi) Klatt Joniris humilis

Iris humilis is a plant species in the genus Iris. It is also in the subgenus of Iris and in the Psammiris section. It is a rhizomatous perennial, with a wide distribution range from Europe to Russia to China , via Mongolia and Kazakhstan. It has sword-shaped leaves, a short stem and yellow flowers with an orange beard. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

It once had Iris arenaria as a synonym or as a subspecies. It is a yellow dwarf iris only from central Europe. In some sources it is still listed as a subspecies of Iris humilis.

Description

Iris humilis is very similar in form to Iris mandshurica (another Psammiris species), which leaves curve to one side, but it is a shorter plant.[2]

It has thick creeping rhizome,[3][4][5] which is branched,[4] and about 1 cm in diameter.[6] The rhizome has the remains of last seasons leaves on the top.[2]

It has bluish-green,[2][4] gray-green,[7][8] or light glaucous green,[9][10] sword shaped or lanceolate,[3] basal leaves.[6][7] They can grow up to 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long,[8][9][10] and 0.2–0.7 cm wide,[9][11][12] They have incurving tips,[9][12] and they disappear in summer, after flowering.[10]

It has a simple dwarf (or short stem),[13][14] that can grow up to between 5–25 cm (2–10 in) tall.[15][16][17]

The stems have 2–3 spathes (leaves of the flower bud), which are lanceolate and are (scarious) membranous at the top of the leaf.[4][9] They have short,[4] 7.5mm long pedicels (flower stalks).[9]

The stems hold between 1 and 3 flowers,[18][19][11] in late spring,[4][12][14] between April and June.[9][13][19] The flowers only last for a day,[19] but they sometimes repeat the display.[13]

The vanilla scented,[19] flowers are 3–4 cm (1–2 in) in diameter,[10][12][19] come in shades of yellow,[17][19][20] including bright yellow.[9][16][18]

The flower buds are normally green, that have a slight tinge of bronze.[9]

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'.[6][21] The falls are oblong shaped, and 35 mm (1 in) long and 1.2 cm wide.[9] They are veined brown or purple brown.[7][10][20] They have a central orange beard.[12][15][18] The shorter,[9][11] standards are 30 mm (1 in) long and 0.3 cm wide.[9] The standards are not erect and this gives the flower a flattish appearance.[11]

It has a 1 cm long ovary and a 0.5 cm long, funnel shaped perianth tube.[9]

It has styles that are shorter than the petals,[11] about 2.5 cm long, which have short narrow crests.[9]

The anthers are cream with green-black edging and the pollen is greenish coloured.[9]

After the iris has flowered, in August,[4] it produces an elliptical seed capsule,[2] which is about 3 cm long.[9] The capsules dehisce (split open), below the apex.[9] Inside the capsules, are wrinkled, light brown,[2] or brown,[4] pyriform (pear-shaped) seeds.[9] They have flat creamy-white aril (or appendage).[9]

Genetics

As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes, this can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.[21] It is normally published as 2n=22.[10][11][17]

There has been several counts, over the years including 2n=27, Krogulevich 1978, 2n-24, Sokolovskya & Probatova, 1986, 2n=28, Starobudtsev & Mironova, 1990, 2n=28, Malakhova, 1990, 2n=28 Malakhova & Markova, 1994. As Iris flavissima 2n=22, Doronkin.[15] This shows two separate entities.[15]

Since Iris arenaria has a count of 2n=22,[22] this means that Iris flavissima is a synonym of Iris arenaria and 2n=27 or 2n=28 are the true counts of Iris humilis.

Taxonomy

Iris humilis

It is pronounced as (Iris) EYE-ris (humilis) HEW-mil-is.[16]

It has the common name of sand iris.[7][16][23] Although this name normally refers to Iris arenaria, which was formerly once thought to be a subspecies of Iris humilis, it is now a separate species in its own right.[22] Iris humilis is also known as low iris,[2][24] and yellow iris.[3][13][24] Note, that Iris pseudacorus is also commonly known as the 'yellow flag' or 'yellow iris' as well.

It is known as Sand-Schwertlilie (meaning sand iris) in Germany.[25]

The Latin specific epithet humilis refers to low growing or dwarfish.[8][26]

It was first published and described by Johann Gottlieb Georgi in 'Bemerkungen einer Reise im Russischen Reich' (Bemerk. Reise Russ. Reich) Vol.1 page196 in 1775.[23][27][28]

Georgi described from specimen plants from near to Lake Baikal, (it was called originally Iris flavissima).[28] This is now classified as a synonym of Iris humilis.[1]

It was also published by Karl H. Ugrinsky in 'Fedde's Report. Spec. Nov., Beihefte' Vol.14 in 1922.[15]

In 1808, Bieberstein called a plant (from the Caucasus mountains) Iris humilis, in 'Fl. Taur.-Caucas' Vol.1 on page 33. It was later changed (due to Georgi's earlier publishing) and re-classified as a synonym of Iris pontica Zapal.[15]

It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 4 April 2003, then updated 2 December 2004.[23] It is an accepted name by the RHS.[29]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to a wide distribution area, including temperate regions of Asia and Europe.[6][10][23]

Range

It is found in Europe,[19][20] within the countries of Austria,[9][10][11] Czechoslovakia,[10][11] Hungary,[10][11][18] and Romania.[10][11][23] However, some or most of these plants could be Iris arenaria, which also has a distribution area in central and eastern Europe.

It is found within the Siberian region,[17][18][23] of the Russian Federation,[13][17][20] in the states of Buryatia, Chita, Irkutsk, Magadan, Primorye and Tuva.[23] It is also found in Kazakhstan (formerly part of Russia).[23]

Within Asia, it found in China,[4][5][29] within the Chinese provinces, of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Nei Monggol, Ningxia and Xinjiang,[23] It is also found in Mongolia,[13][17][23] and Japan .[2][4][29]

It is listed with Iris glaucescens, Iris lactea, Iris ruthenica, Iris sibirica, Iris tenuifolia and Iris tigridia being found in the Altai-Sayan region (where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together).[30]

Habitat

It grows in calcareous sandy and stony (or rocky) areas,[7][9] including (mountain and hill) slopes,[5][6] meadows,[5][6] steppes,[3][5] and on the edges of birch forests,[3][5] or pine forests,[2] and beside river banks.[3]

They can be found at an altitude of 200–1,500 ft (61–457 m) above sea level.[9]

Conservation

The iris is rare in various regions,[5][7][11] especially in European Russia and Ukraine.[11]

It is listed in the Red Book of Omsk and Tyumen regions (of Siberia).[2][4][5]

Many populations of Iris humilis exist in protected reserves including, Azas, Baikal-Lensky, Baikal, Barguzinsky, Sokhondinsky and Ubsunur.[2][5]

Cultivation

It is hardy to between USDA Zone 1 and Zone 6.[11][16] It survives in Siberia, so is cold resistant.[2]

It prefers to grow in well-drained soils,[8][18] it prefers soils containing sand.[7][19]

It can tolerate mildly acidic or mildly alkaline soils (PH levels between 6.1 and 7.8),[16] including those with lime.[19]

It can tolerate positions in full sun or partial shade.[16][19]

It has average water needs during the growing season,[16]

The leaves can be damaged by rust fungi.[4]

It can be grown in rock gardens,[2][8] including rock screes,[18] but needs plenty of space.[9]

It is rarely grown in the UK.[14] To grow in the UK, William Rickatson Dykes recommends to plant the iris, on a 5 cm layer of sand, over garden soil with added leaf mould (or compost).[9]

In 1812, it was grown in gardens near Moscow.[28] It was then tested at botanic gardens in St. Petersburg, Barnaul, Novosibirsk and Chita.[2]

Propagation

It can be propagated by division (of the rhizome), or by seed growing.[9][16]

In the wild, some habitats generate poor seed and vegetative propagation.[4]

The plant needs to be hand pollinated (in the UK) to create seed.[9]

Seeds are collected from the dry pods/capsules, when the seeds are ripe.[16]

Seeds need cold stratification, to germinate. They germinate very slowly. In the lab, seeds do not exceed a germination rate of 30%.[4]

Seeds should be sown in trays, in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse.[16]

Germinated seedlings, can produce flowers in the second year of growth.[9]

Hybrids and cultivars

Iris humilis cultivars include; 'Borzeana', 'Dahurica', 'Flavissima', 'Flavissima Orientalis', 'Flavissima Phylospatha', 'Stolonifera' 'Transuralensis' and 'Umbrosa'.[15]

Toxicity

Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting. Also handling the plant may cause a skin irritation or an allergic reaction.[16]

Traditional medicine

The rhizomes can be used as part of a Tibetan herbal medicine to regulate menstruation. A powdered form of the rhizome can be used for sepsis and infections.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Iris humilis Georgi is an accepted name". theplantlist.org (The Plant List). 23 March 2013. http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-321955. 
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 "Irises PSAMMIRIS". flower.onego.ru. http://flower.onego.ru/other/iris/iris_hum.html. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Yellow iris". online-spb.com. http://www.online-spb.com/120-kasatik-zelteishii.html. 
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 Amel'chenko, VP. "Iris Low". green.tsu.ru. http://green.tsu.ru/redbook/?p=1041. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Petrovna, Khaltanova Helena (2013). "Ontogenetic Structure Cenopopulations Iris Humilis Georgi Under Vitim Plateau And Eastern Sayan". Herald (4). http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/ontogeneticheskaya-struktura-tsenopopulyatsiy-iris-humilis-georgi-v-usloviyah-vitimskogo-ploskogorya-i-vostochnogo-sayana. Retrieved 29 April 2015. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Lat. Iris". agbina.com. http://www.agbina.com/site.xp/053051050124052052055.html. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 "Iris humilis". greenmania.eu. http://www.greenmania.eu/knowledge-base/endangeredspecies/homoki-noszirom-iris-humilis/. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Iris humilis". hih-gruppen.se. http://www.hih-gruppen.se/iris/irisgalleri/arter/humilis_Spec.html. 
  9. 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 9.19 9.20 9.21 9.22 9.23 9.24 9.25 9.26 British Iris Society (1997) A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation at Google Books
  10. 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 "Chapter I (Part 6) Psammiris". irisbotanique.over-blog.com. http://irisbotanique.over-blog.com/categorie-0.html&usg=ALkJrhh70LNmXSsW7XWSPOAq9g9rjg4IpQ. 
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 Kramb, D. (21 September 2004). "Iris humilis". signa.org (Species Iris Group of North America). http://www.signa.org/index.pl?Iris-humilis. 
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 "Iris humilis". encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net. http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/humilis. 
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Eberhart, Katie. "Yellow Iris". solsticelight.com. http://www.solsticelight.com/aks/gallery/gardens/ourgarden/slideshow/pages/yellow_iris.htm. 
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Stebbings, Geoff (1997). The Gardener's Guide to Growing Irises. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p. 16. ISBN 978-0715305393. https://archive.org/details/gardenersguideto00steb. 
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Walker, Kenneth (23 January 2015). "(SPEC) Iris humilis Georgi". wiki.irises.org (American Iris Society). http://wiki.irises.org/bin/view/Spec/SpecHumilis. 
  16. 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 "Sand Iris". davesgarden.com. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/74425/#b. 
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 "Iris summary". pacificbulbsociety.org. 14 April 2014. http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/Iris/Iris_Summary.pdf. 
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 Cassidy, George E.; Linnegar, Sidney (1987). Growing Irises (Revised ed.). Bromley: Christopher Helm. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-88192-089-5. 
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 19.8 19.9 Elizabeth Lawrence, Nancy Sanders Goodwin and Allen Lacy A Rock Garden in the South, p. 216, at Google Books
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 "Arill Irises". pacificbulbsociety.org. http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/ArilIrises. 
  21. 21.0 21.1 Austin, Claire (2005). Irises; A Garden Encyclopedia. Timber Press. ISBN 978-0881927306. 
  22. 22.0 22.1 "The genus Iris in Germany (Gregor Stolley)". offene-naturfuehrer.de. http://offene-naturfuehrer.de/web/Die_Gattung_Iris_in_Deutschland_(Gregor_Stolley). 
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7 23.8 23.9 {{citation | mode = cs1 | title = Iris humilis | work = Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) | url = | publisher = [[Organization:Agricultural Research ServAgricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) | access-date = 29 April 2015 }}
  24. 24.0 24.1 "Yellow Iris". plantarium.ru. http://www.plantarium.ru/page/view/item/20741.html. 
  25. "Sand Schwertlilie". slovnik.seznam.cz. http://slovnik.seznam.cz/de-cz/?q=SandSchwertlilie. 
  26. Smith, A.W.; Stearn, William T. (1972). A Gardener's Dictionary of Plant Names (Revised ed.). Cassell and Company (published 1963). p. 173. ISBN 978-0304937219. 
  27. "Iridaceae Iris humilis Georgi". ipni.org (International Plant Names Index). http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=438713-1. 
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 Alekseeva, N.B.. "Proceedings of Botanical Institute Komarov Academy of Sciences St Petersburg, The history of the introduction of wild species of Iris (Iridaceae) flora Russia". binran.ru. http://www.binran.ru/files/publications/Proceedings/Proceedings_300-years/Proceedings_300-years_Alexeeva.pdf. 
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 "Iris humilis". www.rhs.org.uk. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/9273/Iris-humilis/Details. 
  30. "Biodiversity of Altai-Sayan Ecoregion". bioaltai-sayan.ru. http://www.bioaltai-sayan.ru/regnum/eng/species_all.php?right=box-spec-p/iris.php. 

Sources

  • Aldén, B., S. Ryman & M. Hjertson. 2009. Våra kulturväxters namn – ursprung och användning. Formas, Stockholm (Handbook on Swedish cultivated and utility plants, their names and origin).
  • Czerepanov, S. K. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR).
  • Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 39–40.
  • Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964–1980. Flora europaea.
  • Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994–. Flora of China (English edition).

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q15244056 entry