A Guide to Species Irises
Their Identification and Cultivation

This 1997 volume provided the first comprehensive survey of this group of plants since publication of The Genus Iris by W. R. Dykes.

(Author), Christabel King (Illustrated by), William R. Killens (Illustrated by)

9780521206433, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 29 March 2012

424 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.56 kg

Review of the hardback: '… a very consciously written result of a criticla sutdy of literature, synthesised with systematic, planned, long time collected personal experience and continuous mutual exchange of experience of authors belonging to a wide range of professions - from pure scientists to keen amateur gardenerrs … The Guide to Species Irises is a very important manual for anybody who will work seriously with this genus and a resource of extremely valuable garden plants - one of the basic perennials in the moderate climate of all parts of the world.' M. Blazek (Pruhonice), Biologia Plantarum

This volume was first published in 1997, providing a comprehensive, botanically detailed survey of this beautiful group of plants since publication of The Genus Iris by W. R. Dykes. Following the pattern of the original Dykes monograph, botanical details, cultivation suggestions and general comments are supplied, and the work is generously illustrated with accurate line drawings, pictures of unusual species and distribution maps. This survey takes into account the many changes in classification which have taken place in the group. Information scattered in the literature is brought together in one volume to provide an authoritative reference for professional botanists and growers, and a mine of useful information for amateur gardeners and iris enthusiasts. A 2010 preface has been written especially for the re-issue of this important text. The colour plates have been removed for this printing and placed on the web at www.cambridge.org/9780521206433.

Contributors
Preface
Illustration acknowledgements
1. The Iris in history Charles Lyte
2. Cultivation and the great Genus Peter Maynard
3. Chromosomes and the Genus Iris J. R. Ellis
4. Identification guide for plants as received
5. Subgenus Iris: the Bearded Irises Nigel Service and Martyn Rix
6. Subgenus Limniris: the Beardless Irises Christopher Brearley, J.R. Ellis, Christopher Grey-Wilson, V. A. Dickson-Cohen, Sidney Linnegar, Marian Bowley, Anne Blanco White, Ofer Cohen, Aaron Davis and Stephen Jury
7. Subgenus Nepalensis (Dykes) Clive Innes
8. Subgenus Xiphium (Miller) Spach Brian Matthew
9. Subgenus Hermodactyloides Spach (the Reticulata Irises) William R. Killens
10. I. pariensis Welsh 1986 J. W. Waddick
References
Select bibliography
Glossary
Maps William R. Killens
Line drawings Christabel King
Colour plates
Index of Iris species
Index of species names from other classifications.

Subject Areas: Botany & plant sciences [PST]