Iris pumila, sometimes known as pygmy iris[2] or dwarf iris,[3][4] probably originated as a natural hybrid between Iris pseudopumila Boissier & Heldreich and I. attica Tineo. It ranges from Austria through eastern Europe and the Balkans, in Eurasian steppe in Ukraine, southern Russia into southern Siberia and northern Kazakhstan, and the Caucasus into Turkey.
| Iris pumila | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Iris |
| Subgenus: | Iris subg. Iris |
| Section: | Iris sect. Pogon |
| Species: | I. pumila
|
| Binomial name | |
| Iris pumila | |
Iris pumila is distinguished by single blooms held 10–20 cm above ground level on a lengthened perianth tube, with the ovary almost resting on the rhizome on a very short stem. The flower is protected by two spathes, both of which are round in cross-section. Flower color is variable: yellow and purple or violet are the most common, but blue, cream, white, and blended colors are also frequently found. Most forms have a darker spot on the falls.
Beginning in the mid 20th century, Iris pumila was bred extensively with the hybrid tall bearded irises of gardens, giving rise to the great variety of modern dwarf and median bearded iris cultivars.
Another pumila hybrid is 'Iris coerulea' named by Édouard Spach in Hist. Veg. Phan. xiii. 50 in 1846.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Iris pumila", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 5 March 2012
- ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ^ "Iris pumila (dwarf iris)". Go Botany. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ^ "Plants Profile for Iris pumila (dwarf iris)". USDA National Plant Data Center. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ^ "(SPEC) Iris albomarginata R. C. Foster". wiki.irises.org (American Iris Society). Retrieved 11 August 2014.
Further reading
edit- Brian Mathew, The Iris (Timber Press, 1980, 1989).
- Bee Warburton and Melba Hamblen, eds. The World of Irises (American Iris Society, 1978).