Iridaceae

I. caucasica Hoffm. in Cornm. Soc. Phys. Mosc. 1:40(1808).
Plant (8-)10-i8 cm. Bulb 1.5-2.5 cm diam. Leaves (4-)5-7, well developed at anthesis, 5-Î5 cm, (0.5-)0.8-2 cm broad at base, lanceolate, falcate, green above, markedly greyish-green below; margin white, smooth to ciliate. Stem concealed by leaves, or with intemodes just visible at anthesis, usually elongating later with clearly visible intemodes. Bract and bracteole ± equal, ventriccse, green, membranous, acuminate or long-tapering. Flowers 1-4, greenish-yellow, rarely a paie dirty bluish-green with a bluish blotch on falls; perianth tube 34-(-4.7) cm; falls (3-)3.54 cm, daw winged, (l.l-)1.5-2.5 x 1-1.8 cm, lamina elliptic, (0.9-)l.1-2 x 1-1.6 cm, rounded: crest darker yellow or orange, crenuiate; standards patent or re flexed, linear, oblanceolate to ± 3-lobed, i.3-2.5 x 0.2-0.8 cm;style branches 2.3-3.5 cm. Capsule c. 3 x 1 cm, ellipsoid; seeds c. 3 rnm.
1. Leaf margins and/or veins on underside distinctly ciliate or scabrid, especially towards apex or leaf subsp. caucasica
1. Leaf margin and/or veins on underside smooth subsp. turcica
subsp. turcica B. Mathew in The Garden 106:478 (1981). Map 59. Fl. 4-6. Bare stony slopes, scree and upland steppe, 1200-3500 m.
Type: Turkey B9 Agri: Tahir pass, c. 2500 m, 5 vi 1973, Grey-Wilson & Phillips 50 (holo.K!).
Inner Anatolia. A7 Gümüşane: Gümüşine, 1400 m, Stainton 8311! A8 Erzurum: 40 km from ispir to Erzurum, 2150 m, Güner 1541! A9 Kars: Karaurgan to Sarikamiş, Yağmurlu Da., 2200 m, D. 29468! B4 Ankara: 78 km from Ankara to Kayseri, 1500 m, Balls 229! B5 Nevşehir: Göreme, 1300 m, Furse 7004! B6 Yozgat: Ak dağın ad eni to Büyük Nalbant Da., 2000 m, Coode & Jones 2078! B7 Sivas: Divriği, T. Baytop (İSTE 12835)! B8 Muş: S. of Muş, Haçreş Da., Kurtik Da., 2750 m, Watson et al. 2838! B9 Ağri: Hamur, 1750 m, Baron 2158! B10 Kars: N.E. slope of Ağri Da., nr Serdar Bulak, 2150 m, D. 43722! C10 Hakkari: Mor Da., Watson et al. 3006!
N.E. Iraq. Ir.-Tur. element. /. atropatana Grossh., described from 'Nachi-tschevan, Oltu and Kaghyzman' appears to be conspecific with/, caucasica. It is said to have a sinus separating the lamina and claw of the falls, but this condition is also possible in the variable /. caucasica. Type material has not been seen and it is impossible to assign it to one or other of the subspecies of /. caucasica. The flower colour is usually greenish yellow but the falls of Balls 229 and Mathew & Tomlinson 4245 are dirty bluish-green with a darker blotch on the lamina. It is possible that they are hybrids with /. persica or /. galatica.
Distribution of species: N.E. Iraq, Caucasia.