Syrianthus M.B.Crespo, Mart.

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

18. Syrianthus M.B.Crespo, Mart. -Azorín & Mavrodiev, gen. nov. [I. subsect. Syriacae Diels in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 15a: 502 (1930); I. sect. Dykesiana Simonet, Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., ser. 10, 16: 261 (1934)]. Type (holotype):— S. grant-duffii (Baker) M.B.Crespo, Mart. -Azorín & Mavrodiev [≡ Iris grant-duffii Baker, Handb. Irid. : 7 (1892)]

Genus Asiae austro-occidentalis ab Iride s. str. valde distinctus et praecipue differt rhizomate fere verticalis, brevissimo, basibus bulbiformibus foliarum concomitato, quibus ad apicem fibras crassas pungentes armatas; foliis rigidis, coriaceis, subcontortis, pluribus nerviis longitudinaliter percursis; floribus solitariis, tubo perigonii breve, cylindrico, omnibus segmentis laevibus, imberbibus, exterioribus majoribus, erectis vel erecto-patentibus, subpanduratis vel oblanceolatis, interioribus minoribus, erectibus, a basi unguiculatis subplanis; lamella stigmatica bilobata, lobis subrotundis plus minusve denticulatis; capsula cylindrico-ellipsoidea, subcoriacea, acuta, vix costata, angulosa, e apice deorsum a medio valde dehiscente; seminibus globosis, a basi dilatatis (colliformibus), subtuberculatis, exarillatis. Numerus basicus chromosomatum, x = 12. Species hujus generis praecipue per Anatoliam, Syriam, Persiam et Palaestinam repertae sunt.

Rhizomatous herbs, with persistent aerial structures. Rhizome tough, nearly vertical, with compact bulbiform swollen leaf bases, bearing many needle-like bristles at the apex; roots fibrous. Stems aerial, simple, solid, rounded in cross section. Leaves isobilateral, coriaceous, stiff, linear, usually somewhat twisted, with prominent ribs, not fetid; caulinar well-developed, equitant. Flowers solitary, terminal, pedicellate. Spathe valves 2, greenish with scarious margins, long and narrow, acute, ± keeled. Perigone in 2 rows, different in shape, fused in a short cylindrical tube; falls ± erect to erect-patent, oblanceolate to subpanduriform with ovate to obovate blade, reflexed over constriction, subacute, about as long or shorter than claw, smooth; standards erect, oblanceolate, gradually tapering into a short ± flat claw. Stamen filaments free, adnate to the fall bases. Ovary trilocular, with axial placentation. Style filiform, with 3 petaloid branches, shorter than falls, each one concealing a stamen; crests long, lanceolate-triangular, acute, nearly straight; stigma bilobed, with rounded denticulate lobes. Capsule cylindricalellipsoid, acute, dehiscing from apex to about middle, weakly ribbed, trigonous, usually longer than spathes, unbeaked; pericarp subcoriaceous. Seeds numerous, ± globose, necked, without aril; testa hard, surface tuberculate. x = 12. Figs. 5B , 23A .

It includes 5 species, occurring in the Middle East, from eastern Turkey and northern Iran to Israel ( Fig. 20C ).

Needed new combinations:— Syrianthus aschersonii (Foster) M.B.Crespo, Mart. -Azorín & Mavrodiev, comb. nov. Basionym: Iris aschersonii Foster, Garden (London) 1902: 288 (1902). Syrianthus dumanianus (Güner) M.B.Crespo, Mart. -Azorín & Mavrodiev, comb. nov. Basionym: Iris masia subsp. dumaniana Güner , Türk. Bitkileri List.: 893 (2012). Syrianthus grant-duffii (Baker) M.B.Crespo, Mart. -Azorín & Mavrodiev, comb.

62 • Phytotaxa 232 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press

CRESPO ET AL.

nov. Basionym: Iris grant-duffii Baker, Handb. Irid. : 7 (1892). Syrianthus masia (Dykes) M.B.Crespo, Mart. - Azorín & Mavrodiev, comb. nov. Basionym: Iris masia Dykes, Gard. Chron. 47: 99 (1910), ‘ masiae ’. Syrianthus melanostictus (Bornm.) M.B.Crespo, Mart. -Azorín & Mavrodiev, comb. nov. Basionym: Iris melanosticta Bornm., Gartenflora 56: 495 (1907).

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 20. Approximate distribution areas: A) Joniris (yellow); B) Cryptobasis (red); C) Syrianthus (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).