The subgenus ''Hermodactyloides'' of
Iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
* Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
* Iris (given name), a feminine given name, and a list of peopl ...
includes all reticulate-bulbed bulbous irises. It was formerly named as a genus, ''Iridodictyum'' by
Rodionenko in 1961. but it was not widely accepted and most botanists preferred 'Hermodactyloides'.
Édouard Spach
Édouard Spach (23 November 1801 – 18 May 1879) was a French botanist.
The son of a merchant in Strasbourg, in 1824 he went to Paris, where he studied botany with René Desfontaines (1750–1831) and Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu (1748–1836). H ...
named the genus in 1846. The word 'Hermodactyloides' comes from '
Hermes
Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...
' , a Greek God, and 'daktylos' - finger. The name for the subgenus is very similar to ''Hermodactylus'' (the former name for ''
Iris tuberosa''), which was originally a separate genus to irises, but in 2001 was re-classified to be within the ''Hermodactyloides'' sub-genus.
Most species are native to central Europe and central Asia. They mostly have one or two long leaves and flower in early spring.
Taxonomy
The subgenus ''Hermodactyloides'' is subdivided into two
sections
Section, Sectioning, or Sectioned may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents
** Section sig ...
; ''Reticulatae'' and ''Monolepsis''. Known species include:
Section ''Reticulatae''
Section ''Monolepsis''
Originally
Rodionenko created the genus ''Alatavia'' for ''Iris kolpakowskiana'' and ''I. winkleri'', but it was not
validly published
In botanical nomenclature, a validly published name is a name that meets the requirements in the ''International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' (''ICN'') for valid publication. Valid publication of a name represents the minim ...
.
B.Mathew then changed the name in 1989 to ''Iris'' sect. ''Monolepsis'', after his re-organization of the genus. Molecular evidence places ''Monolepis'' as sister to a
clade
In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...
including section ''Reticulatae'' (including ''Hermodactylus''),
subgenus ''Xiphium'' and subsection ''Syriacae'' of
section ''Limniris''.
[Carol A. Wilson. Subgeneric classification in ''Iris'' re-examined using chloroplast sequence data. 2011. Taxon. 60(1): 27-35.]
Having flattened crocus-like leaves;
Cultivation
This genus of dwarf bulbous iris is mostly used in rock gardens, or planted by specialist collectors in bulb frames.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q18349260
Iris (plant)
Plant subgenera