■ (SPEC) Iris chrysographes Dykes

1911, botanical author Dykes

Iris chrysographes Dykes (William Rickatson Dykes, 1911, China); Section Limniris, Series Sibericae; 14-18" (35-45 cm), B7D; Flowers dark reddish violet with gold streaks in the signal area giving it its name (golden writing); Collected by E. H. Wilson in 1908, in China; See below:

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

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References:

The Gardeners' Chronicle 49: 362. 1911.
The Curtis's Botanical Magazine. tab. 8433 in 1912, gives the following information along with the color illustration. "The handsome Iris here figured was discovered in Western Szechuan in 1908, where it was found by Mr. E. H. Wilson growing in thickets near Kuan Hsien at elevations of from 7,000 to 11,000 feet above sea level. The plant from which the material for our plate was obtained was grown by Mr. W. R. Dykes in his garden at Charterhouse, Godalming, from a seedling raised by Miss Wilmott in her garden at Warley Place, Essex. It came into flower towards the end of May, 1911. A freely floriferous species and at the same time one of the most richly colored of these now in cultivation, I. chrysographes promises to prove a favorite garden plant. As Mr. Dykes has pointed out in the Gardeners' Chronicle, the species is a member of the "Sibirica" group, and is closely allied to I. Forestii, Dykes, but differs in colour of flower and in habit; it also flowers somewhat earlier than I. Forrestii. Among the more familiar species in collections it also approaches rather closely to I. laevigata, Fisch., but may be at once distinguished by its narrower, more sharply pointed spathes. The rich dark purple flowers with their velvety texture render the plant a very conspicuous object; the colour is well set off by the central line and the broken flanking streaks of golden yellow. These flanking streaks vary somewhat in number and extent, sometimes they are almost absent and only the central golden yellow line appears. Another species closely related to I. chrysographes is I. Delavayi, Micheli, from Yunnan, which has, however, a different capsule and seeds, and as a garden plant is readily distinguished by its taller statue and by its blue purple flowers with white markings. Mr. Dykes finds that I. chrysographes is not difficult to grow in any soil that is fairly rich in humus and is not heavily charged with lime. It appears not to demand either the excessive moisture or the very retentive soil in which I. Delavayi best succeeds. Description.---Herb; rhizome rather slender, giving off several rather slender unbranched stems, hollow with a narrow lumen, about 1 ¼--1 ½ ft. high, bearing 1-2 reduced leaves and 1-2 flowers. Leaves linear, much narrowed upwards, acute, curving outwards, 1 ¼-1 ½ ft. long, ¼-1/3 in. wide, green. Spathes narrow, green, acute, 2-2 ½ in. long. Pedicels 1-1 ½ in. long. Perianth with tube about 5 lin. Long; outer segments much deflexed; blade oblong- or almost obovate-elliptic, 2 in. long, 1 in. wide, brilliant dark purple-violet, velvety papillose, marked in the center with golden yellow lines and streaks; claw linear-oblong, 1-1 ¼ in. long, reddish purple, finely dotted with golden yellow; inner segments erect, oblong, obtuse, narrowed below into a claw, altogether 2 ¼- 2 ½ in. long, 4-5 lin. Wide, dark purple-violet. Style with deep purple arms, their crests with ovate blunt lobes. Stamens with filaments about 8 lin. Long, anthers 6 lin. Long. Ovary 8 lin. Long.
Waddick & Zhao, Iris of China, 1992, illustrated in color;
Dykes, The Genus Iris 26. 1913,
Barr 1915; Van T. 1916; Van W. 1916; 1938; Per. 1924; 1938; Starker 1938; F & F 1939;
A.M., R.H.S. 1914, shown by Dykes; Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 40: 2, cxxxiii. Nov. 1914;

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Synonyms

Goldvein Iris. ----

Chromosome counts:

n=20, 2n=40-Simonet 1932 ----

Variations

Iris chrysographes cultivars:

• 'Black Beauty', 'Black Knight', 'Black Velvet', 'Bowles' Black', 'Chrysograhes Nigra', 'Chrysograhes Picturata', 'Id', 'Inshriach', 'Kew Black', 'Rubella', 'Southcomb Velvet', 'Stjerneskud'.

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Hybrids

Iris chrysographes crosses:

• Crosses within the Series Chrysographes often referred to as Sino-Siberians
  • Iris chrysographes X Iris bulleyana: 'Chrysogana Purpurea', 'Chrysogana', 'Epaulette'.
  • Iris bulleyana X Iris chrysograhes: 'Bullegraphes', 'Jenkinsii'.
  • Iris chrysographes X Iris forrestii: 'Chrysofor'], 'Chrysofor Bronze Queen', 'Chrysofor Canary', 'Chrysofor Delicata', 'Chrysofor Gloriosa', 'Chrysofor Maggie', 'Chrysofor Marion', 'Chrysofor Nancy', 'Chrysofor Peggy', 'Chrysofor Primrose Queen', 'Chrysofor Purpurea', 'Chrysofor Sunrise', 'Chrysofor Thelma'.
  • Iris forrestii X Iris chrysographes: 'Gamma'
  • Iris chrysographes X Unknown: 'Gold Spot', 'Pinwheel'.
• Crosses between Series Sibiricae and Series Chrysographes
  • Iris sanguinea X Iris chrysographes: 'Aegea'
  • Iris chrysographes X Iris sibirica: 'Chrysobirica', 'Chrysobirica Gloriosa', 'Chrysobirica' Purpurea', 'Cookley Blue', 'Helicon'.
  • Iris sibirica X Iris chrysographes: 'Violet Wave'.

CAL-SIBES, crosses between Iris chrysographes and Pacific Coast Natives

• Iris chrysographes X Iris douglasiana: 'Chrysodoug', 'Margot Holmes'.
• Iris douglasiana X Iris chrysographes: 'Dougraphes'.
• Iris chrysographes X Iris hartwegii: 'Chrysowegii'.
• Iris chrysographes X Iris innominata: 'Desert Dream', 'Desert Haze'.
• Iris chrysographes X PCN hybrid: 'New Departure', 'Unexpected Development'.

Crosses with Series Laevigatae

• Iris laevigata X Iris chrysographes: 'Esperance Ninety-Six', 'Fledgling'.

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Distribution And Cultivation

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