Iris aitchisonii
Botanical Name: Iris aitchisonii (added by Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Botanical Synonyms:
I aitchisonii var chrysantha Baker, Juno aitchisonii (Baker) Klatt, xiphion aitchisonii Baker (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Classification:
Scorpiris (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Common Names:
N/A
Chromosome Count:
2n=34(M. Gustafsson) (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
General Description:
A very small juno bulb with papery dark tunics, the bulb is pointed in a long neck. the tubers are very long ( perhaps 6- 8") and thin.they fall off VERY easily. the leaves are narrow and long, fairly upright developed well before flowering. according to Mathew the stem is up to 35 cm, for me in the clone I grow, it is about 20cm, this is still tall enough to make such a small plant look spindly. visable internodes at flowering, 1-3 flowers in my plant of a strong yellow, but variable in colour according to Mathew with Bicolour forms of yellow/brown, or violet recorded. the flowers have a solid aperance with wide falls (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Distinguishing Features:
Standards 3 lobed (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Preferred Habitat:
"seasonally moist areas on grassy slopes about 900m." (mathew). Cultivate in deep pots of rich stony compost with dolomitic dust and gravel around the bulb. (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Hardiness:
N/A
Native Range:
Pakistan, E Afghanistan, (ref Mathew) (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Status in the Wild:
N/A
Commercial Availability:
?not available, one to aspire to! (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Sources Cited:
A guide to species irises (section by B. Mathew) (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)
Additional Comments:
Reminds me of the much larger I cycloglossa (Peter Taggart (UK), 06-JAN-10)