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
Iris minutoaurea from the Korean National Arboretum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
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
Binomial name
Iris minutoaurea
Synonyms[1]
  • Iris minuta Franch. & Sav. [Illegitimate]
  • Iris savatieri Nakai [Illegitimate]
  • Limniris minutoaurea (Makino) Rodion.

Description

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Iris 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

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The 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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Iris minuta (synonym of Iris minutoaurea), published in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1910.

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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flower of Iris minutoaurea

Iris minutoaurea is native to the temperate regions of eastern Asia.[19][9] It has a wider geographical area than Iris odaesanensis.[5]

Range

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It 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

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It grows on forest margins and grassy hillsides.[6]

Conservation

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It 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

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  1. ^ "Iris minutoaurea Makino is an accepted name". theplantlist.org (The Plant List). 23 March 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Dykes, William. "Dykes on Iris" (PDF). beardlessiris.org (The Group for Beardless Irises). Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Iris minutoaurea". alpinegardensociety.net. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ a b c British Iris Society (1997) A Guide to Species Irises: Their Identification and Cultivation, p. 122, at Google Books
  8. ^ a b c d Laurin, Terry (20 October 2014). "(SPEC) Iris minutoaurea Makino". irises.org (American Iris Society). Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h "Iris minutoaurea". wrightmanalpines.com. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "The Planzengattung Iris". orchideenkultur.net. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  12. ^ McDonough, Mark (24 February 2011). "Iris cristata and small woodland Iris". nargs.org. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e Cassidy, George E.; Linnegar, Sidney (1987). Growing Irises (Revised ed.). Bromley: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-0-88192-089-5.
  14. ^ a b "Beardless Irises Two". pacificbulbsociety.org. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ a b Austin, Claire (2005). Irises: A Gardener's Encyclopedia. Timber Press, Incorporated. ISBN 978-0881927306. OL 8176432M.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "Iris summary" (PDF). pacificbulbsociety.org. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  19. ^ a b c d e "Iris minutoaurea". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ Stearn, William (1972). A Gardenerer's Dictionary of Plant Names. London: Cassell. pp. 50/218. ISBN 978-0304937219.
  22. ^ Gin, Emma. "Korean Flower Names". gardenguides.com. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  23. ^ "Iris minuta Franch. & Sav. is a synonym of Iris minutoaurea Makino". theplantlist.org. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  24. ^ "Iridaceae Iris minutoaurea Makino". ipni.org (International Plant Names Index). Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  25. ^ a b "Iris minutoaurea". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ Jirí Kolbek, Miroslav Srutek, Elgene E. O. Box (Editor) Forest Vegetation of Northeast Asia, p. 80, at Google Books
  29. ^ 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.
  30. ^ 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.
  31. ^ Jirí Kolbek, Miroslav Srutek and Elgene E. O. Box (Editor)Forest Vegetation of Northeast Asia, p. 80, at Google Books
  32. ^ Stebbings, Geoff (1997). The Gardener's Guide to Growing Irises. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p. 17. ISBN 978-0715305393.
  33. ^ Elizabeth Lawrence A Rock Garden in the South, p. 75, at Google Books
  34. ^ "Plant Hardiness". theseedsite.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  35. ^ 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

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  • 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).
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