Carpological features of Iris hybrida Hort. (Rodion.) in the conditions of the M. M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden in Kyiv, Ukraine

Abstract

The results of a morphological study of fruit and seed characteristics of Iris hybrida hort. are presented. The morphometric measurements of fruits and seeds are described including length and width. Such morphological features as the shape of fruits and seeds, hilum shape, the position and size of the seed embryo, endosperm features, the surface of the fruits and seeds are analyzed. Eleven tall bearded iris varieties of domestic and foreign selection were chosen from the collection fund of the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden. The varieties selected are: ‘Alians’, ‘Amethyst Flame’, ‘Earth Song’, ‘Local Color’, ‘Mescalero Chief’, ‘Scintilation’, ‘Vanity’, ‘Violet Harmony’, ‘Zlatokudraya’, ‘Ayu-Dag’, and ‘Pryvit Z Ukrayiny’. These varieties are distinguished by their decorative qualities, are widely distributed and are promising candidates for further selection work. Among the researched varieties, fruit bodies of obovate, wide-oval, elongated-elliptic and rounded shapes were distinguished. Seeds of compressedprismatic, rounded, wedge-shaped, inverted ovoid and flattened-semicircular shapes were recorded. The surface of the seeds observed was spongy-wrinkled, hard, sometimes with narrow rims along the edge of the faces. The shape of the hilum showed slight variations. The described carpological features of the I. hybrida varieties align with literature data on the general morphology of the fruits and seeds of other types of irises. The varieties of I. hybrida studied were from the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden collection fund, and when grown in the conditions of the forest-steppe, we’re able to form full viable seeds with free pollination, which indicates their high adaptability. According to the histogenetic classification, the fruits of the studied varieties belong to the Lilium type (with a lignified endocarp). The structure of the seed coat, consisting of the exo-, meso- and endotesta, differences in the size, shape of the seeds and the hilum were also noted. The morphological descriptions of the fruits and seeds of the investigated varieties provide additional data about the genus Iris L.