“Reticulata irises”: a nomenclatural and taxonomic synopsis of the genera Alatavia and Iridodictyum (Iris subg. Hermodactyloides auct., Iridaceae)

Abstract

The “Reticulata irises” are dwarf irises highly appreciated in horticulture, which are characterised by their tuberiform bulbs, with a single fleshy inner tunic clothed mostly with reticulate or reticulate-hairy outer tunics, and basal leaves bifacial, angulose or finely sulcate in section. The aggregate is often accepted as a taxonomically compact group to which the name Iris subg. Hermodactyloides (Iris sect. Reticulatae) is often applied. It includes between 10–22 taxa (species and subspecies) occurring disjunctly from central Türkiye and the Transcaucasus throughout the Middle East to western China. Molecular work shows that Iris subg. Hermodactyloides, is polyphyletic as frequently delineated. Alternatively, analytic treatments accept two genera, Alatavia and Iridodictyum, exhibiting clear differences in morphology, biogeography, and phylogenetic connections. Recently, new field prospection across scarcely prospected vast territories led to the description of many new taxa in the “Reticulata irises.” In this context, an updated synopsis of the bulbous genera Alatavia (four species) and Iridodictyum (18 + 2 species) is reported. For each accepted taxon, main synonyms, type indication, chromosome numbers, distribution areas, and taxonomic or nomenclatural remarks are reported. Further, five new specific combinations are introduced, and also four neotypes, two lectotypes, two second-step lectotypes, and one epitype are designated.

Keywords:

• Asparagales
• Iris sect. Reticulatae
• nomenclature
• plant distribution
• integrative taxonomy

Acknowledgements

The curators of the herbaria cited in the text are thanked for information on iris materials. In particular, Ivan Tatanov, Nina Alexeeva, Mariya Sheludyakova and Leonid Averyanov from Komarov Botanical Institute (St. Petersburg, Russia), Furkat Khasanov from Academy of Science (Uzbekistan), and Claes Gustafsson from University of Gothenburg (Sweden), forwarded digital images of original material and/or types of some iris names at LE and GB respectively. Alexander Pavlenko (Serdar, Turkmenistan) also provided interesting data on the type collection of Iridodictyum kopetdaghense. Mehmet Fırat (Yüzüncü Yıl, Van, Türkiye) is specially acknowledged for kindly sharing interesting field data and images of Iridodictyum hakkariense, I. kurdicum, and I. avromanicum. Also, Jānis Rukšāns (‘Rare Bulb Nursery’, Stalbe, Latvia) for images of Alatavia pskemensis. This work was partly supported by the grants ACIE20-01, ACIE21-01, ACIE22-01, UADIF21-29, UADIF22-28, UAUSTI21-04, UAUSTI22-05, VIGROB21-166, and VIGROB22-166, from diverse research programmes of the University of Alicante (Spain).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was partly supported by the grants ACIE21–01, ACIE22–01, UADIF21–29, UADIF22–28, UAUSTI21–04, UAUSTI22–05, VIGROB21–166, and VIGROB22–166 from the University of Alicante.