Iris zenaidae is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Scorpiris. It is a bulbousperennial from Central Asia. It has deep violet-blue or cobalt blue flowers.
Description
Iris zenaidae is similar in form to Iris magnifica,[2] but with different darker blue coloured flowers.[3]
The flowers can range from deep violet-blue,[3][4] to cobalt blue.[5][6] It has a white or violet crest, which can be spotted or striped (with blue-violet).[6][4]
It was then thought, by several botanists including Tony Hall (from Kew Gardens) that it was a violet-blue form of Iris graeberiana. It was then listed as synonym of Iris graeberiana.[10]
In 2012, botanists F.O. Khass and Rakhimova carried out more research on the iris and others, they then re-published the iris as Iris zenaidae as a species in its own right. On 21 December 2012, it was published in 'Stapfia' (Publikation der Botanischen Arbeitsgemeinschaft am O. Ö. Landesmuseum) 97: 178.[11][12]
Iris zenaidae is now an accepted name by the RHS.[13]
