Taxonomy of Two Blue-Flowered Juno Irises (IrisSubgen.Scorpiris, Iridaceae) from the Western Tian-Shan

Two blue-flowered Iris species, Iris albomarginata and I. willmottiana, are confirmed as distinct taxa within the subgenus Scorpiris. The study clarifies their taxonomic boundaries, provides detailed redescriptions, and maps their distributions for the first time. I. albomarginata features uniformly pale-blue flowers and is endemic to the Ugam and Pskem Ranges (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan), while I. willmottiana, distinguished by blue flowers with white-blotched perianth segments, extends its range to the Karatau, Boralday, and northern Talas Ranges (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan). The latter species is newly documented in Kyrgyzstan. An identification key for these irises is also included, aiding field and taxonomic studies of this UNESCO-listed region's flora.

Lazkov, G. A., & Sennikov, A. N. (2017). Taxonomy of Two Blue-Flowered Juno Irises (IrisSubgen.Scorpiris, Iridaceae) from the Western Tian-Shan. Annales Botanici Fennici, 54(4-6), 297–305. https://doi.org/10.5735/085.054.0613