Alatavia Rodion., Bot. Zhurn.

Crespo, Manuel B., Martínez-Azorín, Mario & Mavrodiev, Evgeny V., 2015, Can a rainbow consist of a single colour? A new comprehensive generic arrangement of the ‘ Iris sensu latissimo’ clade (Iridaceae), congruent with morphology and molecular data, Phytotaxa 232 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

20. Alatavia Rodion., Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 84(7): 103 (1999) [ Iridodictyum sect. Monolepis Rodion., Rod Iris : 205 (1961); Iris sect. Monolepis (Rodion.) B.Mathew, Davis & Hedge Festschrift : 87 (1989)]. Type (holotype):— A. kolpakowskiana (Regel) Rodion. [≡ Iris kolpakowskiana Regel, Trudy Imp. S. -Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 5: 263 (1877)]

Description:—Bulbous herbs, with deciduous aerial structures. Bulb tuberiform, constituted by a single fleshy tunic, clothed with loose, reticulate outer tunics; roots fibrous, thin, absent during dormancy. Stem inconspicuous, simple, solid, hidden among leaf bases, rounded in cross section, elongating in fruit. Leaves bifacial, linear to acicular, usually ± canaliculate, ribbed on the outer side and sometimes keeled, not fetid, clothed at the base with a membranous sheath. Flowers solitary, terminal, sessile or subsessile. Spathe valves 2, herbaceous at anthesis. Perigone in 2 rows, differing in size and shape, fused in a long scapiform tube; falls erect-patent, obovate to broadly lanceolate, subpanduriform, reflexed towards the upper part, gradually tapering into a short claw, smooth or shortly pubescent; standards erect, oblanceolate to narrowly linear, narrowed into a canaliculate haft. Stamen filaments free, adnate to the fall bases. Ovary trilocular, with axile placentation. Style filiform, with 3 petaloid branches, slightly shorter than falls, each one concealing a stamen; crests triangular-lanceolate, acute, ± straight;

A NEW GENERIC ARRANGEMENT OF IRIS SENSU LATISSIMO

Phytotaxa 232 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press • 63 stigma entire, broadly oblong. Capsule oblong, trigonous, dehiscing from apex to about middle, usually hidden into spathes, shortly beaked; pericarp papery, spumose in the inner surface. Seeds numerous, globose to pyriform, apiculate, without aril; testa surface irregularly wrinkled. x = 10. Figs. 5E , 23C .

It includes 2 species from central Asia , mostly in the Tien Shan Mountains ( Fig. 22C ) .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Flower morphology: falls, standards and stylar branches, sometimes with spathe bracts (cont.). A) Hermodactylus tuberosus (photo: Paul Tyerman); B) Syrianthus grant-duffii (photo: Gideon Pisanty); C) Xiphion xiphium (photo: Mario Martínez- Azorín); D) Xiphion heracleanum (photo: Alicia Vicente); E) Alatavia kolpakowskiana (photo: Joyce Fingerut); F) Chamaeiris foetidissima (photo: Mario Martínez-Azorín); G) Chamaeiris graminea (photo: José Quiles); H) Chamaeiris reichenbachiana (photo: José Quiles); I) Chamaeiris anguifuga (photo: Jim Murrain); J) Dielsiris longipetala (photo: Ken Walker); K) Rodionenkoa gracilipes (photo: Ken Walker); L) Lophiris cristata (photo: Ken Walker).

FIGURE 22. Approximate distribution areas: A) Xiphion (red); B) Iridodictyum (yellow); C) Alatavia (green).

FIGURE 23. Habit and floral details. A) Syrianthus grant-duffii (Baker 1889: t. 7604); B) Xiphion boissieri (Baker 1890: t. 7097); C) Alatavia kolpakowskiana (Baker 1880: t. 6489); D) Chamaeiris orientalis (Trew et al. 1773: t. 100).