Iris nusairiensis Mouterde (1966: 311)

Boltenkov, Eugeny V. & Govaerts, Rafaël, 2017, Typification of names and nomenclatural notes on juno irises (Iridaceae) from Western Asia, Western Europe, and North Africa, Phytotaxa 303 (2), pp. 125-140 : 131

12. Iris nusairiensis Mouterde (1966: 311) , syn. nov.

≡ Juno nusairiensis (Mouterde) Soják (1982: 138)

= Iris aucheri ( Baker 1871: 110) Sealy (1950: 562) var. fumosa ( Decaisne 1873: 304) Bolt.

Protologue citation:—“Slenfé, 24 avril 1953, leg. Pabot (Herbier Mouterde, P 186)”.

Type (holotype):— SYRIA. [Latakia Governorate], Slenfé [Slinfah], [fl.], 24 April 1953, Pabot s.n. ( G 00164500, isotypes G 00164486, G 00164487).

Notes:— Iris nusairiensis was described by Mouterde (1966) based on plants collected by M. H. Pabot near Slinfah in the Nusayriyah Mountains, western Syria. Mouterde (1966: 311) cited one gathering from his herbarium (currently at G) as “Typus” of I. nusairiensis . The original material of I. nusairiensis is represented in the G collection by at least three specimens. One of them, the sheet of which bears the number “ P 186” cited in the prologue, is indicated here as holotype. The holotype specimen is accompanied by a brief description of the plants (“Light blue flower; leaves light green, bright, shiny” [in French]). On the sheets of the isotypes, a note is attached showing that the plants were collected at a height of 1550 m above sea level. A study of the original description and the type material has shown that I. nusairiensis resembles I. aucheri (Baker) Sealy by its general habit. Mathew (1989: 157, 2012: 254) also paid attention to the fact that I. nusairiensis is very closely related to I. aucheri . These two species are similar not only in morphology and karyotype, but also genetically ( Ikinci et al. 2011, Mavrodiev et al. 2014). Since neither morphological nor cytological differences appear to be sufficient to separate the species, I. nusairiensis is only a colour variety of I. aucheri .

13. Iris palaestina var. caerulea Post (1896: 768)

= I. postii Mouterde (1966: 309)

Protologue citation:—“Syrian Desert”.

Type (lectotype, designated here):— SYRIA. [Rif Dimashq Governorate?], Iris palaestina var. caerulea Post, Deir to el-Mahin, [fl.], 5 April 1890, [Post] s.n. ( K 01045944!, isolectotype G 00382592, right-hand specimen).

Notes:— Iris palaestina var. caerulea was described by Post (1896) based on plants collected on the road from Deir Atiyah (Rif Dimashq Governorate) to Mahin (Homs Governorate), western Syria. Both of the above mentioned specimens are accompanied by a label with the printed note “Plantae Deserti Syriaci. Ex Herb. Postian. apud Colleg. Syriens. Protest.”, while the rest of the text on the labels was handwritten by Post. The plants were erroneously referred by Post to I. palaestina ( Baker 1871: 108) Barbey in Barbey-Boissier & Barbey (1882: 159). Dinsmore (1933: 592) noted that I. palaestina var. caerulea could probably be a new species, and Mouterde (1966: 309) finally described I. postii and included I. palaestina var. caerulea as a synonym to his species.