Iris minutoaurea is a beardless iris in the genus Iris, in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Chinenses of the genus. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial of eastern Asia, native to China and Korea. It has been naturalized in Japan. It has long grassy-like leaves, short stem and bright yellow or pale yellow flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.
| Iris minutoaurea | |
|---|---|
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| Iris minutoaurea from the Korean National Arboretum | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Iris |
| Subgenus: | Iris subg. Limniris |
| Section: | Iris sect. Limniris |
| Series: | Iris ser. Chinenses |
| Species: | I. minutoaurea
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| Binomial name | |
| Iris minutoaurea | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editIris minutoaurea can sometimes be mistaken for Iris henryi (another yellow flowering Chinese iris). But they differ is sizes of pedicel (flower stalk) and perianth tube. Iris henryi has a short perianth tube and long pedicel, while with Iris minutoaurea it is the other way around.[2]
It has a yellowish brown, slender, wiry, rhizome,[3][4] measuring about 2 cm (1 in) long and 0.5 cm (0 in) wide,[5] that produces many branches and stolons.[6][7] This branching habit forms clumps of plants.[8][4][9] In autumn, the roots (under the rhizomes), produce small nodules.[10] These are used to fix nitrogen, from the soil.[11]
It has grassy, linear, ribbed, 5–16 cm (2–6 in) long and 0.2–0.7 cm (0–0 in) wide leaves.[10][9][7] They appear in early March, they then elongate after flowering up to 40 cm (16 in) long, reaching a maximum height by June.[3][5][7] This elongating leaf habit is also shared by Iris koreana.[12]
It has a very short, slender flowering stem, only 7–10 cm (3–4 in) long.[13][10][9] It has one terminal (at the top of the stem) flower,[3] in spring to early summer,[8][4] in April or May.[6][5][10]
It has 2 lanceolate (lance-like) 4–5 cm (2–2 in) long and 0.5–0.1 cm (0–0 in) wide, spathes (leaves of the flower bud), that are acuminate (ending in a point).[6]
The small flowers come in yellow shades. Between bright yellow and pale yellow.[9][2][14] The flowers are 2.5–3 cm (1–1 in) in diameter.[3][5][4] Which can be compared to the size of a quarter.[15]
It has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals, known as the 'standards'.[16] The drooping obovate (egg-like) falls, measuring 2.2 cm (1 in) long and 0.8 cm (0 in) wide, have brown or purple marks (dots or lines) on the hafts and in the centre of the petal.[13][5][10] The smaller, paler (in colour) narrow, upright standards are between 1.5 cm (1 in) long and 0.3–0.4 cm (0–0 in) wide,[6] with brown/purple petal stalks.[10][9][2]
It has a slender, 1.5–2.5 cm (1–1 in) long perianth tube.[6][3] It has slender 1.5–2.5 cm pedicel (flower stalk), 1 cm long stamens and yellow-brown anthers. It has 1 cm (0 in) long 0.2–0.3 cm (0–0 in) ovary and 1.5 cm (1 in) long 0.3 cm (0 in) wide, style branches similar in colour to the standards.[6]
After the iris has flowered, it produces a globose (spherical) seed capsule between June and July.[6][5]
Biochemistry
editThe effect of forcing date and temperature on growth and flowering of Iris koreana and Iris minutoaurea has been examined in 2007.[17]
As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes. This can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.[16] It has been counted twice, 2n=22, Simonet, in 1934; syn. Iris savatieri Nakai and 2n=26, Lee in 1970.[8] It is normally listed as 2n=22.[6][18]
Taxonomy
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It is written as 小黄花鸢尾 in Chinese script and known as xiao huang hua yuan wei in China.[6][19]
It is written as 금붓꽃 in Korean script.[20]
It has the common names of small yellow-flower iris in Chinese English.[19]
The Latin specific epithet minutoaurea refers to the combination of 2 Latin names, minuto refers to very small (or minute) and aurea refers to yellow.[21] Making 'Small yellow blossoms'.[22]
It was originally published as Iris minuta by Franchet and Savatier in 'Enumeratio Plantarum in Japonia Sponte Crescentium' 2: Vol.42 page521 in 1877.[6][8][23]
It was later illustrated as Iris minute in Curtis's Botanical Magazine Issue 8293 in 1910.[3]
Later, Iris minuta was regarded as a synonym of Iris minutoaurea and first published and described by Tomitaro Makino in the 'Journal of Japanese Botany', (Shokubutsu Kenkyu Zasshi) from Tokyo Vol.17 in 1928.[24]
Iris minutoaurea is an accepted name by the RHS.[25]
It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service on 9 January 2003.[19]
Distribution and habitat
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Iris minutoaurea is native to the temperate regions of eastern Asia.[19][9] It has a wider geographical area than Iris odaesanensis.[5]
Range
editIt can be found on the Korean Peninsula, and in Liaoning Province of northeastern China.[26][27][28]
It is also found on Gyebangsan Mountain in South Korea.[20]
It has been naturalized in Japan.[4][5][19]
Habitat
editIt grows on forest margins and grassy hillsides.[6]
Conservation
editIt has been listed in the flora of vascular plants in the Chilgapsan Provincial Park of Korea.[26] It was listed as 'least concern' on the Red List of vascular plants according to IUCN on Mt. Gilsangsan in Korea.[29] Also listed as 'least concern' on the list of Jeju Island in Korea.[27] It has also been listed as growing on Deokjeokdo.[30]
In Liaoning, China, it was listed as an endemic vascular species, along with Acontium faurieri, Artemisia chienshanica, Betula ceratoptera, Caragana litwinowii, Iris kobayashii, Phragmites australis and others.[31]
Cultivation
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Iris minutoaurea has been cultivated in UK, but it is rare,[32] and considered difficult to grow.[13] It is also rare in Europe.[5] It has also, been cultivated in the US but is thought difficult to get it to bloom.[33] It is much easier to grow in Japan, where it has been cultivated for many centuries.[25][14][4]
It is hardy to Zone H2 (which means hardy to −15 to −20 °C (5 to −4 °F) [34]), in Europe.[3][35] Although, it has survived in temperatures as low as −29 °C in France.[5] It will be difficult to get to flower in areas of cool summers.[4]
It can be grown in a bulb frame to survive a cold winter or over-watering.[13][5]
It likes to grow in humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to acidic soils.[5][4][10]
It prefers positions in full sun but may tolerate part shade.[5][9]
It does not like positions that get a lot of water,[13][5] preferring well drained, rock gardens and scree-like slopes.[5][10][9]
It can be propagated by division.[5] They need to be divided when ever the clumps of plants get congested and it stops blooming.[15]
It is best planted in September or March.[10] The iris is untouched or undamaged by slugs.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Iris minutoaurea Makino is an accepted name". theplantlist.org (The Plant List). 23 March 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b c Dykes, William. "Dykes on Iris" (PDF). beardlessiris.org (The Group for Beardless Irises). Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stuart Max Walters (Editor) The European Garden Flora: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated In Europe, Vol. 1 (2001) , p. 343, at Google Books
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Iris minutoaurea". alpinegardensociety.net. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Chapitre II iris a touffe et autre (partie1)". irisbotanique.over-blog.com. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "FOC Vol. 24 Page 302". efloras.org (Flora of China). Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b c British Iris Society (1997) A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation, p. 122, at Google Books
- ^ a b c d Laurin, Terry (20 October 2014). "(SPEC) Iris minutoaurea Makino". irises.org (American Iris Society). Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Iris minutoaurea". wrightmanalpines.com. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dykes, William (2009). "Handbook of Garden Irises" (PDF). beardlessiris.org (The Group for Beardless Irises). Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ^ "The Planzengattung Iris". orchideenkultur.net. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ McDonough, Mark (24 February 2011). "Iris cristata and small woodland Iris". nargs.org. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Cassidy, George E.; Linnegar, Sidney (1987). Growing Irises (Revised ed.). Bromley: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-0-88192-089-5.
- ^ a b "Beardless Irises Two". pacificbulbsociety.org. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b "SPRING NEWSLETTER, APRIL 2007" (PDF). glcnargs.com (GREAT LAKES CHAPTER, North American Rock Garden Society). April 2007. p. 6. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b Austin, Claire (2005). Irises: A Gardener's Encyclopedia. Timber Press, Incorporated. ISBN 978-0881927306. OL 8176432M.
- ^ Lee, Jeong Ho; Lee, Chung Hee; Park, Gwang Woo; Song, Cheon Young (2007). "Effect of Forcing Date and Temperature on Growth and Flowering of Iris koreana and Iris minutoaurea". Korean Forest Society. 96 (6): 699–704.
- ^ "Iris summary" (PDF). pacificbulbsociety.org. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Iris minutoaurea". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b Yang, Jong-Cheol; Hwang, Hee-Suk; Lee, Hye-Jeong; Jung, Su-Young; Ji, Seong-Jin; Lee, You-Mi (30 March 2014). "Distribution of vascular plants along the altitudinal gradient of Gyebangsan (Mt.) in Korea". Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 7 (1): 40–71. doi:10.1016/j.japb.2014.03.008.
- ^ Stearn, William (1972). A Gardenerer's Dictionary of Plant Names. London: Cassell. pp. 50/218. ISBN 978-0304937219.
- ^ Gin, Emma. "Korean Flower Names". gardenguides.com. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ "Iris minuta Franch. & Sav. is a synonym of Iris minutoaurea Makino". theplantlist.org. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
- ^ "Iridaceae Iris minutoaurea Makino". ipni.org (International Plant Names Index). Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Iris minutoaurea". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b Leea, Ro-Young; Jangb, Ro-Young; Kimb, Yoon-Young; Yangb, Sun-Gyu; Choic, Hyeok-Jae; Jid, Sung-Jin; Ohb, Byoung-Un (30 September 2014). "Flora of vascular plants in the Chilgapsan Provincial Park, Korea". Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 7 (3): 237–247. doi:10.1016/j.japb.2014.07.001.
- ^ a b Chan-Soo, Kim (2009). "Vascular Plant Diversity of Jeju Island, Korea" (PDF). Korean Journal Plant Res. 22 (6): 558–570. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ Jirí Kolbek, Miroslav Srutek, Elgene E. O. Box (Editor) Forest Vegetation of Northeast Asia, p. 80, at Google Books
- ^ Kim, Jung-Hyun; Kim, Sun-Yu (9 April 2013). "The Vascular Plants in Mt. Gilsangsan (Ganghwa‐Isl.), Korea". Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology. Division of Plant Resources. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ Kim, Jung-Hyun; Yun, Jong-Hak; Nam, Gi-Heum; Lee, Jung-Hyun; Choi, Byoung-Hee; Lee, Byoung-Yoon (2011). "A Study on Vascular Plants of Uninhabited Islands in the Deokjeok Archipelago". Journal of Environmental Science International. 20 (1): 1–23. doi:10.5322/JES.2011.20.1.1. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ Jirí Kolbek, Miroslav Srutek and Elgene E. O. Box (Editor)Forest Vegetation of Northeast Asia, p. 80, at Google Books
- ^ Stebbings, Geoff (1997). The Gardener's Guide to Growing Irises. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p. 17. ISBN 978-0715305393.
- ^ Elizabeth Lawrence A Rock Garden in the South, p. 75, at Google Books
- ^ "Plant Hardiness". theseedsite.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ^ James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey (Editors) The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated In Europe, Vol. 1 (2011), p. 343, at Google Books
Other sources
edit- Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. ["minutaurea"].
- Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 79–80.
- Waddick, J. W. & Zhao Yu-tang. 1992. Iris of China.
- Walters, S. M. et al., eds. 1986–. European garden flora.
- Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994–. Flora of China (English edition).
External links
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