Iris nusairiensis

Iris nusairiensis is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Scorpiris. It is a bulbous perennial from Syria, it has pale blue or white flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Iris nusairiensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Scorpiris
Section: Iris sect. Scorpiris
Species:
I. nusairiensis
Binomial name
Iris nusairiensis
Mouterde
Synonyms[1]
  • Juno nusairiensis (Mouterde) Soják

Description

Iris nusairiensis is fairly similar in form to Iris aucheri.[2]

It has a brown bulb with long fleshy storage roots.[3]

It generally has about 6 glossy mid-green, lanceolate leaves rising from the base of the stem.[3]

It grows to a height of 7–10 cm (3–4 in) tall.[2][4]

It has various shades of blue-white flowers, ranging from pale blue/ light blue to white-blue flowers.[5][2] The flowers all have a pale yellow or yellow crest on the falls. It also has darker blue veining on the hafts.[4]

Taxonomy

It was published by Paul Mouterde in 'Nouvelle Flora du Liban et de la Syrie' (New flora of Libya and Syria) 311, in 1966.[6][2][7]

The Latin specific epithet nusairiensis comes from 'Jebel Nusair' (meaning Nusair's mountain) in Syria,[8] near Mount Cassius, part of the Nusair chain.[9]

It has the common name of 'Syriansk junoiris' in Swedish.[7]

Iris nusairiensis is now an accepted name by the RHS,[10] and it was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 4 April 2003 and updated on 3 December 2004.[7]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to temperate areas of western Asia.[7]

Range

It is found in Syria.[7][11]

Habitat

They are grown on rocky positions.[3]

They can be found at an altitude of 1,400–2,000 metres (4,600–6,600 ft) above sea level.[3]

Conservation

It is listed as one of the significant plants in Syria.[11]

Cultivation

Similar to other Juno irises it prefers well drained soils in full sun. It is better to grow in an alpine house or bulb frame in the UK.[8][5]

It is not a very widely cultivated by specialist bulb growers, so is difficult to obtain.[5]

Another form of Iris nusairiensis was found in SE Turkey, around the Malatya province, similar in form with three very large creamy-white flowers with a large round rich egg-yolk yellow patch on its falls. But some discussions by botanists think it might be a separate species.[12]

References
  1. "Iris nusairiensis Mouterde is an accepted name". theplantlist.org. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  2. "(SPEC) Iris nusairiensis Mouterde". wiki.irises.org. 20 April 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  3. British Iris Society (1997) A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation, p. 255, at Google Books
  4. "Iris Summary" (PDF). pacificbulbsociety.org. p. 11. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  5. "Iris nusairiensis". Archived from the original on 3 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  6. "Iris nusairiensis". ipni.org. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  7. "Iris nusairiensis". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  8. "Iris are genus that do well here in dry". meconopsisworld.blogspot.co.uk. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  9. G.E. PostFlora of Syria, Palestine, and Sinai, p. 22, at Google Books
  10. "Iris nusairiensis". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  11. "Syria - biodiversity conservation and protected area management". Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reforms (primary) and Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs (advisory). 4 January 1996. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  12. "Janis Ruksans Bulb Nursery" (PDF). mesplantesdesmontagnesdumonde.fr. 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2014.

Other 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).
  • Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 157.

Data related to Iris nusairiensis at Wikispecies

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