Iris caucasica

Iris caucasica (also known as Caucasian iris)[2][3] is a species of plant in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus of Scorpiris. Pronounced as 'kaw-KAS-ee-kuh'.[4]

Iris caucasica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Subgenus: Iris subg. Scorpiris
Section: Iris sect. Scorpiris
Species:
I. caucasica
Binomial name
Iris caucasica
Synonyms[1]
  • Iris caucasica turcica
  • Coresantha caucasica (Hoffm.)
  • Costia caucasica (Hoffm.) Willk.
  • Iris caucasica subsp. caucasica
  • Juno caucasica (Hoffm.) Tratt.
  • Neubeckia caucasica (Hoffm.) Alef.
  • Thelysia caucasica (Hoffm.) Parl.
  • Xiphion caucasicum (Hoffm.) Baker

It is a bulbous perennial

It was described in 'Commentat. Soc. Phys.' to Caesareae Universitatis Mosquensis of 1808 by Georg Hoffman.[5]

It was once confused with iris orchioides, but iris caucasica is a smaller plant, with sessile flowers. Also it has leaves that have white margins.[6]

Iris caucasica is an accepted name by the RHS.[2]

Habit

It has a brown ovoid bulb with fleshy roots.[6] It is similar in form to Iris persica.[3]

It has grey green leaves,[7] which are ciliate[8] and that start growing at flowering time.[9] They reach up to 10–12 cm long and l-2 cm wide.[8] The leaves have a faint white margin.[10]

It has between 1–4 flowers per stem, normally pale yellow or green and with winged falls.[9] The falls also have a yellow ridge.[7] The flowers are 5–15 cm (2–6 in) across.[9] It flowers in late spring.[8] It eventually reaches a height of 15 cm (flower and stem).[8] The flowers are not fragrant.[6]

Native

Iris caucasica grows on limestone mountain slopes (at 1200-3500m above sea level)[8] in Turkey[7] and Armenia and Azerbaijan,[11] in the Caucasus mountains.[7] Bieberstein notes seeing it near Tbilisi in the South Caucasus.[3] It has also been found in Israel and Iran.[10]

Hybrids

In 1892, Michael Foster introduced a hybrid version Iris Caucasica 'Kharput'.[4] Which does not have winged falls.[9] It still has 4–5 flowers per stem, which are greenish-yellow. But they are generally larger than parent plant.[6]

Uses

Iris caucasica (or Sarı nevroz, a local name of Ovacık, Dersim) has been used a folk medicinal plant in Turkey. The flowers have been used in an infusion to treat colds.[12]

References
  1. "Iris caucasica Hoffm". www.theplantlist.org. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  2. "Iris caucasica". www.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  3. Robert Sweet, Edwin Dalton Smith (1904)The British Flower Garden: Containing Coloured Figures & Descriptions of the Most Ornamental & Curious Hardy Herbaceous Plants (1829), p. 255, at Google Books
  4. "Iris caucasica 'Caucasica Kharput'". davesgarden.com. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  5. "Iris caucasica Hoffm". apps.kew.org. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  6. Lynch, Richard (1904) The Book of the Iris, p. 176, at Google Books
  7. "JunoIrises". www.pacificbulbsociety.org. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  8. "Iris caucasica". encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net. 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  9. Cassidy, G.E.; Linnegar, S. (1987). Growing Irises (Revised ed.). Bromley: Christopher Helm. p. 146. ISBN 0-88192-089-4.
  10. "Iris - Caucasus Yellow,Caucasus Yellow Iris". www.searchlifeforms.com. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  11. "Iris caucasica". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  12. Tuzlac, Ertan; Doùan, Ahmet (2010). "Turkish folk medicinal plants, IX: Ovac×k (Tunceli)". Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal. 14: 136–143. doi:10.12991/201014449.

Sources
  • Czerepanov, S. K. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR). (L USSR) [noted as 'Juno caucasica' (Hoffm.) Klatt].
  • Davis, P. H., ed. 1965–1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands. (F Turk)
  • Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934–1964. Flora SSSR. (F USSR)
  • Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. (Iris) 146.
  • Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963–. Flora iranica. (F Iran)
  • Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966–. Flora of Iraq. (F Iraq)

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