Syrian Iris

Iris histrio

''Iris histrio'' is a species in the genus ''Iris'', it is also in the subgenus of ''Hermodactyloides'' and ''Section Reticulatae''. It is a bulbous perennial from Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan. Israel, Lebanon, Syria and southern Turkey.
Iris histrio Iris histrio is confined to the far north of Israel (and northwards to S Turkey). It is a protected species that bloom in February. In the picture, u can see its typical square leaves (in cross section). Geotagged,Iris histrio,Syrian Iris,Winter

Appearance

Like other members of the ''Reticulatae'' group, such as ''Iris vartanii'' and ''Iris danfordiae'', it throws out a very large number of small bulbils round the base of the bulb. If these are planted separately in a reserve ground, they will develop into flowering bulbs in the course of two or three years. Seedlings of I. vartani certainly, and of I. histrio normally needs protection at all times, especially in the UK.
Iris histrio  Geotagged,Iris histrio,Syrian Iris,Winter

Naming

It was first collected by Charles Gaillardot in Lebanon in 1854. In 1873, Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach wrote about the bulb in his 'Botanische Notizen'. This then joined the subspecies of iris reticulata, which has now been grouped with other under the subgenus of Hermodactyloides.

It is commonly known as the Syrian Iris. ''Iris histrio'' is an accepted name by the RHS. It has baby blue flowers with intricate markings, shading to purplish blue at the base.
Iris histrio Iris histrio grwos between N Israel and S Turkey. It is a lovely winter bloomer. N Golan, Odem Forest Geotagged,Iris histrio,Winter,iris histrio

Habitat

It can grow in loamy soils.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassMonocots
OrderAsparagales
FamilyIridaceae
GenusIris
SpeciesI. histrio
Photographed in
Israel