Iridaceae

I.iberica Hoffm. in Comm. Soc. Phys. Mosq, 1:41 (1806/08).
Plant 13-30 cm. Rhizome compact, non-stoloniferous. Leaves 4-6, falcate, greyish-green, 0.2-0.6 cm broad. Bract and bracteole 3-7.2 cm, greenish, sometimes veined brown. Perianth tube 2-3.5 cm; falls broadly elliptic to ± orbicular, 3.5-6.5(-8.6) x 2.7-6.5 cm, often emarginate, heavily veined and spotted brownish-purple or deep purple on a white ground, with an orbicular blackish or dark brown signal spot in centre and sparsely to densely bearded on claw with a wide band of long purplish-brown hairs; standards ± orbicular,4.5-8.5(-ll) x 3.5-7.4(-8.4) cm, pure white or veined brown or purple, sometimes as densely as falls; style braaches 3-5.5(-7) x 1.2-2.5 cm, with erect or reflexed crenulate lobes Q.8-2(-2.5) x 0.7-1.8(-2) cm. Capsule fusiform, 7-9 x 2-2.5 cm; seeds c. 5 mm with a large white aril.
1. Falls heavily spotted and veined brownish-purple on a white ground; standards pure white or sightly veined at base subsp. elegantissima
1. Falls and standards heavily veined and spotted brownish-purple or dark purple on a white ground subsp. lycotis
subsp. elegantissima (Sosn.) Takht. & Fedorov, Fl. Erevana ed. 2:331 (1972). Syn: /. elegantissima Sosn. in Monit. Jard. Bot. Tiflis 36:2 (1915). Ic: Bot. Mag. 96: t, 5847 (1870); FL Iraniea 112: t. 12 f. 4(1975);Mathew,The Iris b. & w. t. 14 & 15 (1981). Figure 14. Map 57. Fl. 5-6. Rocky or sandy hillsides, in short turf or steppe, often on igneous rock formation, 1100-2250 m.
Syntypes: [Turkey A8/9 Erzurum] Prov. Kars. Distr. Oity. Inter Tedzerek et Toprach-Kala, in collibus siccis. 15 v [19] 12 - prope p. Katrys, in Agris. 25 v [ 19] 12 - Olty, E. Koenig (TBI).
E. Anatolia. A8 Erzurum: Tortum, Ozyurt 1065. A9 Erzurum: Horasan, 1800 m, Baron 2166! Kars: 25 km from Kağizman to Kars, 1720 m, Güner İ549! B8 Erzurum: E.of Erzurum, 2000 m, Furse&Synge 207! B9 Erzurum: Tahir pass, E. of Aktaş, 2250 in, Watson et al. 1612! Ağri: 10 km E. of Tutak, 1500 m, D. 4347i! Yas: Van. to Muradiye, T. Baytop (İSTE 27833)! B10 Kars: Afri Da,, pass S. of Iğdir, 1100 m, Mathew & Tomlinson 4277! Agri: Dofubayazit, Ayyildiz ar Gürbulak, 1600 m, Güner 1552!
N.W. Iran, Soviet Armenia ( W, Nakhichevan). Ir.-Tur. element.

Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima	Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima	Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima	Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima	Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima
Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima	Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima	Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima	Iris iberica HOFFM. subsp. elegantissima