The nomenclatural history of Iris orchioides (Iridaceae)

Authors

• Alexander N. Sennikov University of Helsinki & Komarov Botanical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences
• Furkat O. Khassanov Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• Georgy A. Lazkov National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

The protologue of Iris orchioides described and illustrated a juno iris of uncertain provenance, which was characterised by an elongated stem, glossy green leaves which were not prominently folded, and yellow flowers with unwinged claws of the outer tepals. When the native juno irises of Central Asia had been taxonomically classified, the name I. orchioides was misapplied to a species of the Western Tian-Shan with an abbreviated stem, dark green folded leaves and flowers with winged claws. We demonstrate that this species name was originally applied to a plant currently named as I. bucharica, which was collected by N. Maev in 1875 in the Hissar District, Emirate of Bukhara (now Tajikistan), and its current application is maintained due to the erroneous epitypification. Iris orchioides and I. bucharica are mapped for the first time, and the route of the Hissar Expedition in 1875 is traced and mapped.