Iris kuschakewiczii

Iris kuschakewiczii (also commonly known as ) is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus of Scorpiris. It is a bulbous perennial.

It was originally published as 'Iris kuschakewiczi' by Boris Fedtschenko in 'Bull. Jard. Bot. Petersb.' v. 158 (Bulletin of St. Petersburg Botanical Garden) in 1905.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1958, Petr Petrovich Poljakov re-published it as 'Juno kuschakewiczii' in Fl. Kazakhst. 2: 249.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1939, it was suggested this was a form of Iris narynensis, but when Mathew published "The Iris" in 1981, he retained it as a separate species.<ref name=american>Template:Cite web</ref>

Iris kuschakewiczii is now an accepted name by the RHS.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It was named after a Russian botanist 'A. A. Kuschakewicz' who worked with N. J. Korolkov in 1872,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Boris Fedtschenko in 1873.<ref>Eduard Regel Template:Google books</ref> A. A. Kuschakewicz collected many plants in Turkestan and Central Asia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It is mentioned in D.J. Mabberley portable plant books of 1997.<ref>D. J. Mabberley Template:Google books</ref><ref>D. J. Mabberley Template:Google books</ref>

It is fairly easy to grow in cultivation, within an alpine house or bulb frame,<ref name=british>British Iris Society (1997) Template:Google books</ref> it does not need much moisture in summer.<ref name=pacific>Template:Cite web</ref> It can be grown outside in a sheltered, sunny raised bed with well drained soils.<ref name=rareplants>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=alpinegarden>Template:Cite web</ref>

Habit

Iris kuschakewiczii has bulb 1.5 cm (in diameter),<ref name=floraofussr>Template:Cite web</ref> with a paper tunic-coating. It has thickened storage roots, close to the base.<ref name=british/><ref name=onego>Template:Cite web</ref>

It grows up to a height of between Template:Convert, including the flower.<ref name=american/><ref name=pacific/><ref name=alpinegarden/> It has a thick stem, which is between 3–5 cm long, hidden by the leaves, unbranched with 1-4 flowers.<ref name=british/><ref name=rareplants/><ref name=floraofussr/><ref name=onego/> The blooms appear in April–May<ref name=british/><ref name=floraofussr/>

The non-scented flowers appear above a perianth tube of 3.5-4.5 cm long.<ref name=british/><ref name=floraofussr/><ref name=onego/> The flowers come in various shades of purple, from greenish purple,<ref name=onego/> pale violet,<ref name=american/><ref name=alpinegarden/><ref name=floraofussr/> violet-blue,<ref name=rareplants/> to lilac blue.<ref name=british/> The (3.5–4 cm long)<ref name=british/> falls have very dark violet blotches and lines on either side of a prominent white crest,<ref name=american/><ref name=rareplants/><ref name=alpinegarden/><ref name=onego/> or white signal patch.<ref name=british/> The blades are oblong-obvate shaped (about 1.2 x 0.7 cm).<ref name=british/><ref name=floraofussr/> The standards are 1 – 1.5 cm long (often 3 lobed shaped).<ref name=british/><ref name=floraofussr/><ref name=onego/> The flowers measure approx. 6.5–8 cm in diameter.<ref name=alpinegarden/>

The bracts and bracteole are green with membranous tips and margins.<ref name=british/>

The fruits appear in late spring-early summer.<ref name=onego/>

It has 4-5 dark green glaucous leaves which gradually taper to the apex,<ref name=floraofussr/><ref name=onego/> (falcate),<ref name=british/> They are clustered together at the base,<ref name=british/> and are 1-1.5 cm wide (close to the base).<ref name=british/><ref name=alpinegarden/><ref name=floraofussr/><ref name=onego/> They also have a contrasting white edge or margin.<ref name=british/><ref name=alpinegarden/>

Native

In 1905, Iris kuschakewiczii was found in Turkestan,<ref name=american/> on the northern foothills of the Tien Shan Mountains of Central Asia.<ref name=british/><ref name=pacific/><ref name=alpinegarden/><ref name=floraofussr/>

It can be found on gravelly and rocky slopes, on the red-clay hills of Kazakhstan (on the north-western spurs of the Tien Shan).<ref name=floraofussr/><ref name=onego/>

It is also found in the Ala Archa National Park (25 km from the capital of Bishkek) of Kyrgyzstan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Image of Iris kuschakewiczii
• Image of a pot of several Iris kuschakewiczii's