Taxonomy: Fam. Iridaceae// Genus: Iris// Species: Iris germanica L.
Determined according to the botanical key provided by Webb and Chater (1980 in Tutin et al.). A taxon of hybrid origin.
Lifeform: Perennial plant. Geophyte according to the Raunkiær system.
Distribution: Native to the Balkan Peninsula, introduced elsewhere according to the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew). In a study by Blažek and Matevski (2022), the naturally occuring populations from the Balkans (North Macedonia, Greece and Albania) commonly referred to Iris germanica L. were described as Iris mediterranea spec. nova. In the Osogovo region, Iris mediterranea is not observed, while Iris germanica is not native to the Osogovo region, and is recorded only as an escape from cultivation.
Habitat: Plant of hybrid origin widely cultivated as ornamental plant in urban and ruderal areas, and frequently occurs as an escape nearby – disturbed ground, wastelands, roadsides, abandoned cultivated land. No natural populations are observed in the Osogovo region.
Flowering period: Spring: APR, MAY.
Locality: gorge of the Kochanska River. Date: 02.05.2025.
Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – inflorescence. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – inflorescence. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – inflorescence. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – flowers. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – flower. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – flower. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – flower. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – flower – falls (outer perianth segments) with beard, standards (outer perianth segments) and petaloid branches of style. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – petaloid branches of style. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – bearded falls (outer perianth segments). Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – bearded fall. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – base of perianth segments. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – hypanthial tube and bracts. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – flower bud and bracts. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – developing flower. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaves. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaves. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaves. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaves. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaf. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaf. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaf. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 02.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Locality: gorge of the Kochanska River. Date: 27.05.2025.
Iris germanica – plants with spent inflorescence and no capsules after anthesis. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 27.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – plant with spent inflorescence and no capsules after anthesis. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 27.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – plant with spent inflorescence and no capsules after anthesis. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 27.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – bract of spent flower. Capsule is not formed after anthesis. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 27.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – bract of spent flower. Capsule is not formed after anthesis. Osogovo – gorge of “Kochanska” River, 27.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Locality: village of Shtalkovica. Date: 11.05.2024.
Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – habit. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – bearded fall. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – bracts. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – developing flower. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaves. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaves. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaves. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Iris germanica – leaf. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica, 11.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
References:
Blažek, M. and Matevski, V. (2021). Iris Mediterranea spec. nov. -a new member of native Balkan flora and vegetation. Contributions, Section of Natural, Mathematical and Biotechnical Sciences, MASA, 42 (1–2), pp. 17–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20903/masa/nmbsci.2021.42.8 [Accessed 30.05.2025].
Webb, D. A. and Chater, A. O. 1980. Iris L. In Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A. (eds.), Flora Europaea. Volume 5. Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledones). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 87–92.
