Iris acutiloba

It has a small,[4] thick and compressed rhizomes,[5][6] which have many branches,[7] and gives the plant a creeping habit,[8] across the surface of the ground, while being heated by the sun.

[13][14][15] The stem has lanceolate,[6] slightly pinkish,[7] or green,[6] and membranous, spathes (leaves of the flower bud),[8] they are 5–8 cm (2–3 in) long.

[17] In his book 'Iris', Fritz Kohlein, wrote "the blossoms of this small plant render a sombre, bat-like effect.

It found that the petals contain anthocyanins, (which are common floral pigments that form blue, purple and red colours).

[16]: 18 It was counted in 1928 by Delaunay, in 1932 by Simonet, in 1969 by Zakharyeva & Makushenko, in 1975 by Gustafsson & Wendelbo and in 1980 by Awishai & Zohary.

[28] Due to the classification of the subspecies, some authors have renamed the species as Iris acutiloba subsp.

[4][9][22] It is an, found in the countries of Turkey,[16]: 191 [31] (the former USSR states,[7]) of Armenia,[28] Azerbaijan,[17][28][32] Turkmenistan,[18][23][28] Dagestan (near the capital city of Makhachkala,[5][21] and Barham,[17]) and Iran.

[3][33] It is listed as a rare species,[4] and is included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation as 'endangered'.

[25] On the 'Sarykum', sand dunes,[24][33][34] it can be found with other rare plants such as Shishkin's groundsel (Senecio schischkinii), Karakugen milkvetch,[25] astragalus karakugensis and colchicum laetum.

[36] As they grow in the mountains, they are much more cold hardy than some of the Oncocyclus section irises native to Israel-Palestine.

[4][15] In Russia, it was tested for hardiness in various botanical gardens, it did not survive in Tbilisi, Baku, Frunze (or Bishkek),[24] Nalchik and Alma-Ata.

[17][24] As Iris acutiloba and the subspecies 'lineolata' are dwarf,[11] they can be grown in a pot,[4][11] with sharp drainage and careful watering, and kept (frost-free) in greenhouse or cold frame,[12] or alpine house.

If planted in pots, they are left to dry from September and in the spring, given fertilizer during the growing season.

[3] On 15 March 1900, a specimen was collected by Paul Sintenis near Baku, and then stored in the herbarium of Komarov Botanical Institute.

[6] Irises can generally be propagated by division,[20][24][37] or by seed growing, which can take up to 3–5 years or more to reach maturity.

[15] Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), and can cause stomach pains and vomiting if mistakenly ingested.

An illustration of the iris on a postage stamp of Azerbaijan