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Iris ruthenica, sometimes called ever blooming iris (in the UK), Russian iris, pilgrim iris and Hungarian iris (in Europe), is a species in the genus Iris- subgenus Limniris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, with a wide distribution, ranging from eastern Europe to Central Asia. It has grass-like leaves, thick stem and violet or bluish lavender flowers which are marked with violet veining.

Iris ruthenica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Iridaceae
Genus:	Iris
Subgenus:	Iris subg. Limniris
Section:	Iris sect. Limniris
Series:	Iris ser. Ruthenicae
Species:	I. ruthenica
Binomial name
Iris ruthenica Ker-Gawl
Synonyms[1]
Iris alpina Pall. ex Roem. & Schult. Iris caespitosa Pall. ex Link Iris humilis Schur [Illegitimate] Iris nana (Maxim.) Nakai [Illegitimate] Iris ruthenica f. leucantha Y.T.Zhao Iris ruthenica var. nana Maxim. Iris ruthenica subsp. ruthenica (unknown) Iris ruthenica var. ruthenica (unknown) Iris ruthenica var. uniglumis Spach Iris verna Pall. [Illegitimate] Joniris ruthenica (Ker Gawl.) Klatt Limniris ruthenica (Ker Gawl.) Fuss Xiphion ruthenicum (Ker Gawl.) Alef.

Description

Iris ruthenica is very variable and hybrids can look very similar to Iris uniflora,[2] the other species in the Iris series Ruthenicae. It can be variable with its leaf length and width, and flower height.[3]

It has a creeping rhizome,[4][5][6] (about 3–5 mm in diameter) which is branched and has fibrous roots.[2] The creeping rhizome forms a clump or a grass-like tuft plant.[3][7][8]

It has bright green leaves,[6][7][8] or greyish green leaves.[2][5] That are tall and thin, and grass-like,[3][9][10] measuring between 10 – 40 cm (8–13 in) long and 2 – 6 mm wide.[2][3][7] The leaves can grow longer than the flower stem.[9]

The plant (stem and flowers) grows to a height of between 3–20 cm [4][11][2] (12 in).[8]

The thick stem is 2–3 cm wide,[9] can grow to heights of between 3–20 cm.[2][4][10] It has the remains of last years leaves at the base of the stem.[9]

It blooms in spring,[12] (between May, June and July in the UK),[8][11] or early to mid summer,[3] with one normally, but occasionally 2 fragrant flowers.[2][3][13]

The large flowers are between 3–5 cm in diameter,[2][3][7] with a cylindrical,[9] perianth tube measuring 0.5–1.5 cm long.[2][6] The flowers come in a range of blue shades between violet [2][3][11] and bluish lavender.[3][4][13] Which are marked with violet veining.[3][5][8] Like other irises, it has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals), known as the 'standards'.[14] The falls (measuring 4.5–5 cm) are white.[6][8][13] The standards (measuring 4–6 cm) are almost erect.[2][7][6] The bracts (measuring 3–5 cm ) are greenish with pink margins,[6] violet blue stigma,[12] and milky white anthers.[2]

It has a globose (globe-like) to ovoid shaped seed capsule (measuring 1.2—1.5 cm) in June–August (after the flowering period is over).[2][9][15] Once they are ripe, the seed capsules fully open and all the seeds are dispersed in one movement. Unlike other iris species.[15] The seeds are pyriform (pear-shaped) and have an aril (white appendage on the edge of the seed).[2][7] The aril disappears soon after and shrivels up.[15]

Biochemistry

As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes. Which can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.[14] It has a chromosome count: 2n=84 [2][11][16] (found by Simonet in 1934).[17]

Taxonomy

It is written as 紫苞鸢尾 in Chinese script,[18] and known as 'zi bao yuan wei'.[2]

It is named after the region of the 'Ruthenia', in Transylvania and Romania,[15]

It has several common names; 'ever blooming iris' (in the UK),[19][20] 'Russian Iris',[7][12][21] 'pilgrim iris' (sometimes called a synonym of Iris ruthenica),[17][22] and 'Hungarian Iris' in Europe.[10]

It is known as ungersk iris in Sweden.[23]

Iris ruthenica was first published by John Bellenden Ker Gawler in Botanical Magazine in 1808.[23][24] It was later published in 1811, as Iris ruthenica with the common name 'Pigmy iris' in Curtis's Botanical Magazine, vol. 34, table 1393.[17] Pigmy iris is now used as the common name of Iris pumila.

It was mentioned the journals of Captain Beechy's Voyage (in 1825),[25] and is mentioned in Cherepanov's Vascular Plants of Russia.[26]

It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 42 October 2014,[23] and is an accepted name by the RHS.[20]

Distribution and habitat

Iris ruthenica is native to a wide region, including temperate Asia and Europe.[23]

Range

It is found in southern Russia and Siberia,[4][12][9] through Central Asia,[27] (including Altai Mountains and Turkestan,[15] on the Tien Shen mountain range,[4] Kazakhstan and Mongolia),[28] to China and Korea.[2][3][6] Within Europe, it is found in Romania.[23]

It is listed with Iris bloudowii, Iris humilis, Iris lactea, Iris sibirica, Iris tenuifolia and Iris tigridia as being found in the Altai-Sayan region (where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together).[29]

Habitat

It is found on dry meadows (including grass plains and steppes), pine and birch forest edges and edges of woodland.[3][4][8] It can also be found in forest clearings in the forest-meadow mountain belt. Forming a thicket ground-cover.[4]

In Mongolia it is found under Pinus sylvestris/Betula platyphylla subtaiga forests, in montane meadow steppes with Festuca lenensis and Artemisia sericea and in Pinus sibirica/Picea obovata dark taiga forests (within the upper montane belt with Rubus saxatilis and Lathyrus humilis).[30]

Elsewhere in Eurasia, it is found in the Larch forests of Altai and Sayan mountains including Tuva).[31]

It is also found in Tuvan Forests as a subcanopy woody species.[32]

On the Altai Mountains, it is found with other mountain flowers including Siberian Dogs-tooth Violet (Erythronium krylovii), Altai Foxtail Lily (Eremurus), a variety of saxifrages, Aquilegia, Gentiana grandiflora, Papaver nudicaule and the yellow Iris bloudowii.[28]

At altitudes of between 1800 and 3600m.[2][3]

Cultivation

It is hardy to USDA Zone 2,[7] or Zone 3.[5]

Iris ruthenica does not flower very well in the UK.[13] It is best cultivated in fertile soils that do not dry out.[12][15] It is best suited for Rock Gardens or at the front of a flower border.[12][13][14] Although sinks or troughs could be used.[13] It also grows well on dry peat banks.[33] It is tolerant of semi-shade, but prefers full sun.[7][5][13]

Unlike many other irises, it can only be moved with success, during the spring and summer when it is in full growth.[10][13][15]

Iris ruthenica is grown in several Russian botanical gardens including, Barnaul, Ivanovo, Irkutsk, Kirov, Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, St. Petersburg, Stavropol, Tomsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk and Chita.[4]

Propagation

It can be propagated by division or by seed.[5][15] The seeds should be sown in the autumn and the rhizomes divided in early spring.[4] The seeds germinate fairly quickly and new plants are easily raised.[15] But the young plants must not dry out.[10] The old and damaged rhizomes should be removed before replanting.[5]

Hybrids and cultivars

Iris ruthenica var. nana was once thought to be a smaller variety of Iris ruthenica.[17][34] but this is now considered a synonym.[1]

Although, Iris ruthenica var. brevituba which has a small perianth tube,[2] and violet flowers,[35] it is also now considered a variant.[36]

Iris ruthenica has the following known cultivars;

• 'Gamlin Blue',[17][37][38]
• 'Red Form'.[17][37]

References

Sources

• Aldén, B., S. Ryman & M. Hjertson. 2009. Våra kulturväxters namn – ursprung och användning. Formas, Stockholm (Handbook on Swedish cultivated and utility plants, their names and origin).
• Czerepanov, S. K. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR).
• Khassanov, F. O. & N. Rakhimova. 2012. Taxonomic revision of the genus Iris L. (Iridaceae Juss.) for the flora of Central Asia. Stapfia 97:175.
• Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934–1964. Flora SSSR.
• Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 83.
• Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964–1980. Flora europaea.
• Waddick, J. W. & Zhao Yu-tang. 1992. Iris of China.

External links

• Media related to Iris ruthenica at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Iris ruthenica at Wikispecies

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