Juno irises - 2021

[Janis Ruksans]

I am confused with names of Juno irises from sect. Physocaulon. I was growing a lot of them and on the last picture you can see one of my stocks pictured 8 years ago. Now I have only 1-2 pots from some stocks and 2 stocks were lost at all. If some of you have gatherings from Sina (type locality of Iris nicolai) and from Vahsh (earliest bloomer) I would be happy to buy or swap 1-2 bulbs of each. I will show here all stocks what I was growing with some comments.

In this entry pictures of plant published in last AGS bulletin under name I. popovii. Originally it was collected by Arnis Seisums at Tovilj Dara and then named as rosenbackiana. But in the last publication of him, Tony Hall & others it was listed under name Iris popovii. According Flora of USSR and Flora of Tadjikistan – feature used in keys is: Inner segments narrow (4 mm wide) and pointed. But really it is very variable, at least in this stock. According my observations single invariable feature is colour of falls of outer segments – it is deep purple without white rim. All other stocks has fall with white rim. Would like to hear comments about this.

[Janis Ruksans]

This juno iris was collected at Sina, Uzbekistan. It is locus classicus for Iris nicolai. According key in Flora of USSR, leaves must be attenuate only at apex, but in this plant? This gathering was used for publication mentioned in former entry under name of I. nicolai.

[Janis Ruksans]

The last species in this group is Iris rosenbackiana – the name used by me for all my gatherings from this group, although I regarded them as different taxa. The best grower was sample collected by Arnis Seisums at Harangon gorge in Varzob (according Flora of Tadjikistan it could be I. popovii). It differs from all other by colour of anthers, which in Harangon plants are creamy white to white, but in others yellow. (This feature is not characterised in any description in Floras). Leaves in some are attenuate at apex but not in all. Very similar superficially is gathering of Bondarenko at Vahsh (according Flora of Tadjikistan – I. rosenbackiana). It is earliest bloomer of all and by leaf shape looks closer to I. nicolai, but I can’t check this because I haven’t more this sample. Plants from Czormozak I got from Czech collector. By colour most interesting is plant from Chinoro gorge in Varzob collected by myself.

Most interesting is data about collecting spots in Flora of Tadjikistan: Tovilj Dara is listed for I. baldschuanica (I never had it, but 10 years ago it was grown in Gothenburg, easy separable) and for I. rosenbackiana. I. popovii is listed from single(!) gathering on ridge Peter the First (Russian czar) in E Tadjikistan, Gardan-I Kaftar pass.

[Karaba]

Iris planifolia
First flower 5 years day for day after sown !