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Development Of The Spuria Irises (under construction)

Chapter 15, Spuria Irises, by Ben R. Hager, "The World of Irises" © 1978 AIS

Starting in Spain, in the western Mediterranean area, with occurrences as far north as a Danish island and a small colony on England's eastern coast, and as far south as North Africa and Corsica-sweeping in a band of varied width across Europe through Russia, Afghanistan and into China, is a diversified but not well studied group of irises assembled together in the series Spuriae of Apogon.

Spuria irises have flowers that superficially resemble the bulbous irises, especially I. xiphium, and share with this species the characteristic of producing drops of nectar on the perianth tube and spathes. Some of the smaller spurias resemble species in the Siberian group.

Horticulturally, the 14 or 15 species of spuria irises can be divided into two groups, a division important both in hybridizing and in the garden. In Turkey and eastward there are two, possibly three species that are late summer dormant and begin their new growth in late fall. These are the only species to count at 40 chromosomes and according to Hadley (1958) may be polyploid. Our modern hybrids are predominantly based on this group.

I. ochroleuca, with branched stems growing to 1.4 meters (4 feet), and 10-13 cm (4-5 inch) white flowers with prominent deep yellow signal areas on tucked falls, is the most commonly grown of these, species and has naturalized in many parts of the world.

I. crocea has 19-23 cm (5-6 inch) yellow flowers with lance-shaped (pointed) falls, grows to 1.5 meters (5 feet) and blooms late in the season. Only one collection has been made of this iris, over 100 years ago. It was then recorded that it grew in Kashmir, but no wild population has since been discovered or is now known. Although records show I. crocea (as I. aurea) as having been used in early parentages, no evidence remains of the pointed falls, a dominant expression in recently grown hybrids; it is probable that Monnieri, discussed later, is the predominant source of yellow coloring in our present-day varieties.

Seed collected by Haydar Bagda near Ankara, Turkey, was sent to Lee Lenz who grew from it a group of obviously related spurias with rather small, yellow flowers on 0.9-1 meter (36-40 inch) stems. Lenz (1963) suggests that this spuria is a possible species and has given it the interim name of "Turkey Yellow." Further collections and descriptions are necessary to give this iris definite status, but already its genes are well established in the development of our modem spurias.

The second and larger horticultural group of the spuria irises is made up of species that grow, in general, in more northerly areas and retain their green leaves throughout the summer, going completely dormant in the winter months. This group can be further subdivided into two parts: those growing to a height of less than 60 cm (24 inches), and those that attain heights of 60-100 cm (24-40 inches).

The shorter group is made up of species with a wide range of chromosome counts and had not entered the hybridizing field until recent work by Lenz combined species of both these "summer-green" groups. The resulting seedlings have proven partially fertile and will undoubtedly open up a whole new field of charming lower-growing garden varieties in the near future.

Members of the second and taller group of the "summer-green" spurias have counts of 38 and 44 chromosomes (Rodionenko 1973). I. halophila grows to 1 meter (40 inches), and has 8-10 cm (3-4 inch) flowers with a color range from ecru, through grayed yellow to lavender. It also has white forms as does I. carthaliniae, which grows to 75 cm (30 inches)-its 8 cm (3 inch) flowers are usually blue with a veined pattern. I. maritima, I. klattii and I. demetrii (2n=38), have deep violet flowers. These species have been used with the 40-chromosome group in creating the spuria varieties of today, and it is from this group that the lavender and blue shades entered our hybrid lines (Lenz 1963, Lenz & Day 1963).

HISTORY

Late in the 19th century, Sir Michael Foster introduced the first spuria hybrids in England. Among these was one to which he gave the tandem name of "Monspur"-a combination of the names of the species that produced the hybrid: 'Monnieri' and I. spuria. Although the series Spuriae took its name from this central European species, it is a rather insignificant member with 22 chromosomes, and recent chromosome counts have indicated that it could not have been the species used in the 'Monspur' cross, with I. halophila or I. maritima being the more likely candidates.

The first American breeder of spuria irises was T. A. Washington who used 'Monspur' as well as. I. halophila in combinations with the 40-chromosome group, I. ochroleuca and 'Monnieri'. Only two of his last introductions of advanced generation hybrids, 'Blue Acres' and 'Monteagle', have played a part in the progression of spuria breeding. Most of Washington's hybrids had the characteristic of summer-green foliage inherited from the uses of 'Monspur' and I. halophila.

Later, Eric Nies made the cross of I. ochroleuca and 'Monspur', intercrossed the seedlings and never strayed outside of this tight inbreeding program. Since the summer-green growth pattern of 'Monspur' is a rather dominant feature in hybrids from such crosses, it is curious that none of the Nies inbred varieties ever showed this characteristic, tending more toward an exaggerated pattern of summer dormancy. Whatever the 'Monspur' that he used may have been, and curiously for such a hybrid it seems to have had 40 chromosomes, it did introduce the blue pigment into the line and formed the basis for production of a wide range of colors-brown, bronze cream and lavender blue-lacking only pure yellow self and white in the introduced varieties.

Recently, nonfading blue of a truer tone was brought into the spuria lines from crosses of 'Morningtide' and 'Golden Lady' with I. carthaliniae. Two such varieties are Hager's 'Neophyte', over 1.6 meters (6 feet) tall, and 'Protege', only 0.9 meters (3 feet) tall. Because of the work of Rodionenko of Russia with the spuria series, I. demetrii has recently been made available to breeders and is entering the breeding program bringing with it its deep violet coloring. Many of Ferguson's varieties show the influence of the summer-green inheritance from 'Premier'. 'Blue Spiderweb' is one of the best examples.

MONNIER!

Monnieri (I. monnieri) was discovered growing in a garden in France (figure 2). No wild habitat has been found, and although it was given a species designation at the time of its discovery, it is no longer considered a valid species. Lenz suggests from his investigations that certain morphological similarities of 'Monnieri' and "Turkey Yellow," particularly the short recurved style crests unlike those of either I. ochroleuca (figure 3) or I. crocea but strongly resembling those of Monnieri, would indicate that 'Monnieri' is indeed a hybrid between "Turkey Yellow" and I. ochroleuca, both wildlings from similar areas in Turkey (Lenz 1963).

Still in the area of postulation but backed by a strong family resemblance, 'Wadi Zem Zem' (figure 3) introduced by Milliken in

For more information on historic Irises visit the Historic Iris Preservation Society at http://www.historiciris.org/

-- BobPries - 2016-01-12
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Topic revision: r1 - 12 Jan 2016, BobPries
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