■ (SPEC) Iris verna L.

1753, Botanical author Linnaeus

Iris verna L. ( Carolus Linnaeus, 1753, Eastern United States); Section Limniris , Series Vernae , Height 2-3" (4-6 cm), Color Code-B1M; Blue flowers with orange signal stripe on falls; Linneaus in Species Plantarum ed 1: 39. 1753; Van T. 1900; Vernal Iris; nana, Pers. Syn.; verna dubia' fragrant. See below:

• * References
• * Synonyms
• * Variations
• * Hybrids
• * Distribution and Cultivation

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References:

Curtis's Botanical Magazine 133: tab. 8159. 1907; Iris verna had been confused with Iris ruthenica in England around 1811 and the table 1393 for Iris ruthenica in Curtis's Botanical Magazine provides this information on verna; "Verna was first instituted a species by Gronovius in his "Flora Virginica," from the dried plant in Clayton's Herbarium, still preserved in Sir Joseph Bank's Museum; from him it has been adopted by Linneaus and subsequent authors; whose details however afford but little assistance in discriminating it from the present species[ruthenica]. But a reference to the prototype in the above herbarium shewed us that verna was either a mere variety of cristata Bot. Mag. No. 412.) with narrower leaves and smaller flower; or if specifically distinct far nearer akin to that than the present species, from which it differs by a sessle flower having a long filiform tube equal to or longer than the limb and about even with its long narrow spathe. Since the first adoption by authors of verna into their systems, the figure from Plukenet's work has been uniformly repeated by them as its synonym; now this figure any attentive observer will soon find to belong to cristata;
in 1929 Small had described the mountain form Addisonia 14: 1: 15. March 1929
Edwards in Rhodora 1947
Small 1931 gave a description of the coastal form in Addisonia and one can read this at the following link http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/26186#page/45/mode/1up in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. .
Ainsley 1928;
Hocker 1938;
Starker 1938;
Williams-I.L. 1938; F & F 1939;
Marshall 1939;
2n=42, Simonet, 1934.

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Variations

Iris verna L.

• var. verna Fernald see 'Vernapied'
• var. smalliana Fernald 'Vernamont'

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Hybrids

No accepted hybrids with other species

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Distribution and Cultivation

Distribution: The distribution of the species gives clues as to its cultural requirements, although plants in cultivation can often tolerate a wider range of variables: The species is found in the following region: Eastern U.S.A. recorded from the following states: Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkasas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington DC >Bonap's North American Plant Atlas shows the following map. Reproduced by permission of Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. Taxonomic Data Center. (http://www.bonap.net/tdc). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)]
Cultivation:

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Interested in Iris Species? Please visit the: Species Iris Group of North America website.

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-- Main.RPries - 2010-02-11