Oncos 2009

[Janis Ruksans]

Beautiful I. meda, Janis. Was it possible to collect?  The dark clones are partcularly stunning.  I have but one seedling of the species coming along.

I more liked that on top picture and I think that I took small offset of it.
Janis

[Hendrik Van Bogaert]

Beautiful I. meda, Janis. Was it possible to collect?  The dark clones are partcularly stunning.  I have but one seedling of the species coming along.

I more liked that on top picture and I think that I took small offset of it.
Janis

Indeed Janis, top picture is marvellous!
But second one is beautiful too.
Hendrik

[Hendrik Van Bogaert]

This one marvellous Iris I got under name I. iberica elegantissima. It was collected by ARGI expedition in Syria. It looks very different friom my other ibericas, but I'm not very clever in onco-iris taxonomy. Would be gratefull for your help in correct identification.
Janis

Hi Janis,
I think in Syria you haven't Iris iberica elegantissima; in Syria grows kirkwoodii (2 ssp.), damascena and basaltica (your plant must be one of this tree); in Syria you can find too bostrensis, antilibanotica, swensoniana, assadiana and auranitica, but these are different and easier to recognise.
If you know the location I can give you maybe the correct name...
Hendrik

[Lesley Cox]

Rik, Myriam,
This is just the same plant of Iris iberica lycotis about which Rik reports but pictured by me 5 years ago.
Janis

To see such a plant in its natural habitat must be like visiting God in heaven!

[Janis Ruksans]

This one marvellous Iris I got under name I. iberica elegantissima. It was collected by ARGI expedition in Syria. It looks very different friom my other ibericas, but I'm not very clever in onco-iris taxonomy. Would be gratefull for your help in correct identification.
Janis

Hi Janis,
I think in Syria you haven't Iris iberica elegantissima; in Syria grows kirkwoodii (2 ssp.), damascena and basaltica (your plant must be one of this tree); in Syria you can find too bostrensis, antilibanotica, swensoniana, assadiana and auranitica, but these are different and easier to recognise.
If you know the location I can give you maybe the correct name...
Hendrik

It is not collected by me, I never was in Syria. It is from ARGI expedition financed by American Iris Society to explore Syrian Irises and this one is the single one which alived with me. It was first blooming of it after introduction in 2004 (?). This year I replanted 3 small rhizomes.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Here I'm showing some pictures of Iris iberica elegantissima pictured in wild and in my nursery ('Pearl of Ararat'). Quite different are form distributed many, many years ago by Van Tubergen. Some years ago I had large stock of it but after very unfavourable winter lost almost all stock - now I have only 3 plants. That winter many of Onco's died. On last picture Koen from Belgium picturing irises near Muradiye in Turkey.
Janis

[Luc Gilgemyn]

They really are stunning plants Janis !!  Beautiful !

Can't recognize him from the photo, but I suppose that is Koen Van Poucke on the last picture ??

[Regelian]

Janis,

interesting that you bring this up, the van Tubergen clone.  In my eyes it looks suspiciously like a hybrid with I. korolkowii!  The veining is all wrong for I. elegantissima and the falls are much too narrow.  The first time I saw it I thought 'mislabeled plant'.

The fotos are superb!

[Rafa]

great to see Iris iberica elegantissima in the nature. The picture of Iris iberica subsp. iberica is also fantastic, do you have any picture in his natural ihabit?

[Paul Ravenhill]

I thought you might like to see some picture when I went to Turkey in 2006, I hope you enjoy.


Iris iberica elegantissima.
Iris iberica elegantissima group
Iris barnumae forma uruiensis
Iris parodoxa.


 pictures are large....use scroll arrows to view

[Luc Gilgemyn]

We do love to see them Paul !!!  They are marvelous !
Breathtaking pictures !
Thanks a lot for posting

[ranunculus]

Wonderful images, Paul ... location please?

[Paul Ravenhill]

Thanks Cliff & Luc,
The Iris iberica picture was taken south east of Erzurum
and the Iris parodoxa & barnumae were about 150 km south east of van.

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis,

interesting that you bring this up, the van Tubergen clone.  In my eyes it looks suspiciously like a hybrid with I. korolkowii!  The veining is all wrong for I. elegantissima and the falls are much too narrow.  The first time I saw it I thought 'mislabeled plant'.

The fotos are superb!

I suppose that you are right, it really looks as hybrid with korolkowii. Van Tubergen company was famous for many unusual hybrids and for introduction of a lot of new plants. Pity tjhat many were lost later. So conserved by Michael Hoog now followed by his son Antoine in France.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

I thought you mite like to see some picture when I went to Turkey in 2006, I hope you enjoy.

Never before saw barnumae urmiensis in flower. Fantastic flower! My trip in its district was too late (or spring was too early ). I have only small seedlings of it which didn't reach flowering size at present.
Janis