1882, Monstrosity in the flower of Iris Pseudacorus reported by Edinburgh Botanical Club

Gardeners' Chronicle p.152, July 29, 1882

" On a Monstrosity in the Flower of Iris Pseudacorus." By Professor Dickson. In a specimen gathered recently at an excursion to Longniddry the outer perianth segments were normal, but of the inner ones only two were normal, whilst the third one was nearly completely metamorphosed into a stamen with distinctly formed filament and anthers containing pollen, the extremity of the anthers ending in a petaloid expansion. In each of the three young (lowers of the same inflorescence there was a fourth stamen of somewhat smaller size than the three normal ones and similarly taking the place of a segment of the inner perianth. Examples of an advance in metamorphosis such as this are of rare occurrence, although cases of retrograde metamorphosis, such as conversion of stamens into petals, are very common.

For more information on historic Irises visit the Historic Iris Preservation Society at

-- BobPries - 2014-09-15