Iris minutoaurea

Iris minutoaurea is a beardless iris in the genus Iris, in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Chinenses of the genus. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial of eastern Asia, native to China and Korea. It has been naturalized in Japan. It has long grassy-like leaves, short stem and bright yellow or pale yellow flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

Description

Iris minutoaurea can sometimes be mistaken for Iris henryi (another yellow flowering Chinese iris). But they differ is sizes of pedicel (flower stalk) and perianth tube. Iris henryi has a short perianth tube and long pedicel, while with Iris minutoaurea it is the other way around. It has a yellowish brown, slender, wiry, rhizome, This branching habit forms clumps of plants. It has grassy, linear, ribbed, long and wide leaves. It has a very short, slender flowering stem, only long. The flowers are in diameter. As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes. This can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings. It has been counted twice, 2n=22, Simonet, in 1934; syn. Iris savatieri Nakai and 2n=26, Lee in 1970. == Taxonomy==

Taxonomy

'' in 1910. It is written as 小黄花鸢尾 in Chinese script and known as xiao huang hua yuan wei in China. It is written as 금붓꽃 in Korean script. It has the common names of small yellow-flower iris in Chinese English. Making 'Small yellow blossoms'. It was originally published as Iris minuta by Franchet and Savatier in 'Enumeratio Plantarum in Japonia Sponte Crescentium' 2: Vol.42 page521 in 1877. Iris minutoaurea is an accepted name by the RHS. It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service on 9 January 2003. ==Distribution and habitat==

Distribution and habitat

Iris minutoaurea is native to the temperate regions of eastern Asia. It is also found on Gyebangsan Mountain in South Korea. It has been naturalized in Japan. Habitat It grows on forest margins and grassy hillsides. ==Conservation==

Conservation

It has been listed in the flora of vascular plants in the Chilgapsan Provincial Park of Korea. It was listed as 'least concern' on the Red List of vascular plants according to IUCN on Mt. Gilsangsan in Korea. Also listed as 'least concern' on the list of Jeju Island in Korea. It has also been listed as growing on Deokjeokdo. In Liaoning, China, it was listed as an endemic vascular species, along with Acontium faurieri, Artemisia chienshanica, Betula ceratoptera, Caragana litwinowii, Iris kobayashii, Phragmites australis and others. ==Cultivation==

Cultivation

Iris minutoaurea has been cultivated in UK, but it is rare, and considered difficult to grow. It is also rare in Europe. It has also, been cultivated in the US but is thought difficult to get it to bloom. It is much easier to grow in Japan, where it has been cultivated for many centuries.