Iris kuschakewiczii

Iris kuschakewiczii has a 1.5 cm (in diameter) bulb,[2] with a paper tunic-coating. It has thickened storage roots, close to the base.[3][4]

It has 4-5 dark green glaucous leaves which gradually taper to the apex,[2][4] (falcate),[3] They are clustered together at the base,[3] and are 1-1.5 cm wide (close to the base).[3][5][4] They also have a contrasting white edge or margin.[3][5]

It grows up to a height of between 10–15 cm (4–6 in), including the flower.[6][7][5] It has a thick stem, which is between 3–5 cm long, hidden by the leaves, unbranched with 1-4 flowers.[3][8][4] The blooms appear in April–May.[3][2]

The non-scented flowers appear above a perianth tube of 3.5-4.5 cm long.[3][2][4] The flowers come in various shades of purple, from greenish purple,[4] pale violet,[6][5] violet-blue,[8] to lilac blue.[3] The (3.5–4 cm long),[3] falls have very dark violet blotches and lines on either side of a prominent white crest,[6][8][5] or white signal patch.[3] The blades are oblong-obvate shaped (about 1.2 x 0.7 cm).[3][2] The standards are 1 – 1.5 cm long (often 3 lobed shaped).[3][2][4] The flowers measure approx. 6.5–8 cm in diameter.[5]

The bracts and bracteole are green with membranous tips and margins.[3]

The fruits appear in late spring-early summer.[4]

It was originally published as Iris kuschakewiczi by Boris Fedtschenko in 'Bull. Jard. Bot. Petersb.' v. 158 (Bulletin of St. Petersburg Botanical Garden) in 1905.[9]

In 1958, Petr Petrovich Poljakov re-published it as Juno kuschakewiczii in Fl. Kazakhst. 2: 249.[10]

In 1939, it was suggested this was a form of Iris narynensis, but when Mathew published "The Iris" in 1981, he retained it as a separate species.[6]

Iris kuschakewiczii is now an accepted name by the RHS.[11]

It was named after a Russian botanist 'A. A. Kuschakewicz' who worked with N. J. Korolkov in 1872,[12] and Boris Fedtschenko in 1873.[13] A. A. Kuschakewicz collected many plants in Turkestan and Central Asia.[14]

It is mentioned in D.J. Mabberley portable plant books of 1997.[15][16]

In 1905, Iris kuschakewiczii was found in Turkestan,[6] on the northern foothills of the Tien Shan Mountains of Central Asia.[3][7][5]

It can be found on gravelly and rocky slopes, on the red-clay hills of Kazakhstan (on the north-western spurs of the Tien Shan).[2][4]

It is also found in the Ala Archa National Park (25 km from the capital of Bishkek) of Kyrgyzstan.[17]

It is fairly easy to grow in cultivation, within an alpine house or bulb frame,[3] it does not need much moisture in summer.[7] It can be grown outside in a sheltered, sunny raised bed with well drained soils.[5][8]

• Image of Iris kuschakewiczii
• Image of a pot of several Iris kuschakewiczii's

Data related to Iris kuschakewiczii at Wikispecies