Iris notha
Iris notha is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Limniris and series Spuriae. It is a rhizomatous perennial with deep blue or violet flowers from the Caucasus region. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. It was once Iris spuria subsp. notha, and can often be found under that name. It has the common name of fake iris or mimic iris in Russia.
Description
It has a stout, thick rhizome, that is between 8–20 mm thick. The roots are sometimes described as adventitious.It has linear, smooth, acuminate long and 6–18 mm wide leaves.
The leaves can be as long or longer than the peduncle.
It has un-branched erect, stem, growing up to tall.
It has dark green, linear, lanceolate, acuminate, spathes.
It has unequal pedicels.
The stems hold 3–5 terminal flowers, between May and July.
It has un-fragranced, flowers that are up to in diameter, that are violet-blue, and bright blue.
It has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals, known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals. It has a yellow central stripe. The standards are erect, oblong and narrowed at the stem.
It has a 20mm long perianth tube.
It has slightly recurved, style branches, that are in the same shades of colour as the petals.
After the iris has flowered, it produces a seed capsule in August. It is 6 angled, has a beak-like appendage, and woolly-ribbed.
Inside the capsule, are light brown, rugose, semi-circular and flattened seeds.
Genetics
As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes. This can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.It has a chromosome count: 2n=38.
It has been counted several times, 38 in 1969 by O.I. Zakharyeva and L.M. Makushenko, 44 in 1970 by AK Sharma and 42 in 1978 by V Karihaloo.
Taxonomy
It has the common names of fake iris, and mimic iris.The Latin specific epithet notha refers to the former name of the city of Ararat in Armenia.
It was published as Iris notha by Friedrich August Marschall von Bieberstein in 'Flora Taurico Caucasica. Vol.3 page45 in 1819.
It was the originally published and described by Bieberstein in 'Centuria Plantarum Rariorum Rossiae Meridionalis' Vol.3 page77 in 1843.
It was also published by Boiss. in Flora Orientalis Vol.5 page128 in 1884.
It was then published as Iris spuria subsp. notha Aschers. & Graebn. in Synops. Mitteleur Flora. Vol.3 page496 in 1905. Then by B. Mathew in his book Iris page118 in 1981.
It was then published as Iris notha by Köhlein in his book Iris page 169 in 1987.
It was verified as Iris spuria subsp. notha Asch. & Graebn. by United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service on 9 January 2003.
Iris spuria subsp. notha is currently in February 2015, an accepted name by the RHS.
Distribution and habitat
Iris notha is native of temperate regions of Asia.Range
It is found in the Caucasus. Within the Russian Federation, it is found on the hills in the Stavropol Krai, Dagestan, Krasnodar Krai, Chechnya and Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and North Ossetia.One reference refers to Kashmir.
Habitat
Iris notha grows on steppe meadows, on the southern slopes of the dry scrub lands, in woodlands and on the slopes of the hills and foothills, and valleys.It grows at altitudes around 3000m above sea level.
Conservation
This is a scarce species with a fragmented population.Since 1986, it has been listed in the Red Data Book, within several republics. It is located in the ecological-recreational region of Kavkazskie Mineralnye Vody, which is under special protection.
It is threatened due to the flowers being picked for bouquets and uncontrolled livestock grazing.
Cultivation
It is hardy to H2. It winters without shelter in various places within Russia.It was introduced to Britain in 1820.
It was first grown in the St. Petersburg Imperial Botanical Garden in 1841.
It was cultivated in many botanical gardens of the USSR, including, Moscow, Syktyvkar, Michurinsk, Samara, Stavropol, Nalchik, Dnepropetrovsk, Uzhgorod and Leningrad.
It is suitable to be grown in parks in dry conditions. It is tolerant of acid soils.