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] | |
| |
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
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
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.
External links
Data related to Iris nusairiensis at Wikispecies