BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN RECORD 
VOX J OEVA Tesi NO. 4 
HYBRIDS OF IRIS FULVA AND IRIS FOLIOSA? 
By Grorce M. REep 
The most outstanding of American species of iris is undoubtedly 
the copper-flower iris—IJris fulva. This plant is unique among all 
the members of the iris genus on account of the exceptional color 
of both the sepals and the petals, which have been variously de- 
scribed as red, brick red, copper colored, and terra-cotta. It is, 
however, very difficult to give an accurate description of the color 
of the flower, but perhaps the statement that it is deep orange-rec 
with the appearance of being burnished with copper, will give a 
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fairly definite idea. 
This very distinctive iris has some value as a garden plant. Un- 
fortunately, in the north it is not particularly vigorous, and it is 
also a shy bloomer. Perhaps the greatest value of the iris is due 
to the fact that it has been hybridized with other related species, 
and some of the new types produced have great garden usefulness. 
Apparently, Dykes was the first one to cross /ris fulva with J. foli- 
osa, obtaining in 1910 a plant which he named Fulvala. Dorothea 
KK. Williamson is another variety which was produced by William- 
son in 1918 by hybridizing /. fulva with f. foliosa. Still more re- 
cently, Berry, in California, has obtained good garden plants by 
crossing /. fulva with J. savannarum, Cacique being listed in 1925, 
D) 
and Sagamore in 1928. 
[ris filva belongs in the Hexagona Group of the iris genus. It 
is more or less closely related to the species /. hevagona and f. foli- 
osa, all of which are characterized by an ovary which has six longi- 
al 
tudinal ridges, giving a six-sided or hexagonal appearance. 
Irts Futva.—We have already mentioned the most striking fea- 
ture of this iris, namely, the peculiar color of the flowers. Colored 
illustrations of the flower have been published in the Botanical 
! Brooklyn Botanic Garden Contributions, No. 59. 
243 
