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When reading descriptions of iris cultivars, you will encounter many terms, abbreviations and references that might be confusing to you. Here's a quick reference list so that you may become familiar with the terminology.   BRIEF ANATOMY LESSON FOR THE BEARDED IRIS   glossary of terms and abbreviations   The information that is listed below appears on many, many other websites in essentially this same form. There is no source listed on any of them, so I regret I cannot provide proper credit to the original author. Whoever you are, thank you!   Parts of a Bearded Iris   Beards – Elongate groups of fuzzy hairs in the middle at the upper base of all three falls Claw – The narrow base of the standard and fall; the expanded leaf-like part is called the blade Falls – The three downturned, flared or flat petals that possess beards Flounces – Wide, folded, canoe or fan shaped appendages extending from the tips of beards Horns – A protrusion or extension of the beards, often ending in a point or may be hair covered Spoons – Appendages extending from the tip of the beards that widen into a spoon shape Hafts – Areas on each side of the narrow of the falls, on each side of the beards Ovary – The enlarged green, three-chambered structure enclosing the ovules; where fertilization occurs. Pistil – The style arms with stigmatic lips and the ovary; the female flower parts Rhizome - Brownish, potato-looking, fleshy root Shoulders – Areas on the arching upper middle part of the falls on each side just beyond the haft areas Spathes – The pair of modified green leaves that enclose the flower bud, usually turning tan after it blooms Stamen – The anther plus its attachment filament, containing the granular pollen; the male flower parts Standards – The upturned three petals that surround the three style arms Style arms – Small stiff segments above the beards   Other Descriptive Terms That You May Encounter   Amoena – White standards, colored falls Bicolor – Light to medium standards, darker contrasting falls Bitone – Two tones of the same color Blend – Two or more colors blended together Diamond dusted – Raised areas across the petal surface that shine like diamonds in the light Glaciata – Pure whites, yellows, pinks, or oranges, formerly called ices Infusion – Faint or subtle overlay of one color on another Luminata – Wash of color in falls with paler veining; clear unmarked area on hafts; usually paler edge to petals Neglecta – Blue standards, darker colored falls Plicata – Stippled or stitched margin color on lighter ground color Rebloomer – Iris that blooms in any other season in addition to its normal spring bloom time; also called remontant Remontant – Iris that blooms in any other season in addition to its normal spring bloom time; also called rebloomer Reverse amoena – Pigmented standards and white falls Reverse bitone – Bitone with the standards a darker shade of the same color as the lighter falls Self – An iris of one color Silver lining – Raised areas on the edges that reflect in a shining light Space ager – Iris with flounces, horns or spoons Spot – Darker area around and below the beard on lighter or different colored falls Substance – Thickness and resilient tensile strength of the flower parts Sunburst – White or light streaks fanning out on the falls around the beards Variegata – Yellow standards, reddish colored falls Wash – Obvious or definite overlay of one color on another Zonal – A distinct white or light area around the beards in the middle of the falls Common Abbreviations   B - Beards E – Early blooming iris F – Falls M – Mid season bloomer L – Late season bloomer Plic – Plicata RE – Rebloomer S – Standards SA – Space Ager   AIS Iris Classifications   AB – Arilbred: an iris that is part aril and part bearded iris; prefers arid conditions OGB – Oncogeliabred: hybrid cross between oncocyclus, regalia, and other bearded irises MDB – Miniature Dwarf Bearded: up to 8" in height, very early bloom season SDB – Standard Dwarf Bearded: 8 – 16", early season IB – Intermediate Bearded: 16 – 27 1/2", mid season MTB – Miniature Tall Bearded: 16 – 27 1/2", mid – late season BB – Border Bearded: 16 – 27 1/2", late bloom season TB – Tall Bearded: over 27 1/2", late bloom season LA – Louisiana Iris: requires completely different culture than beardeds; prefers moist conditions HIS – Historic Iris cultivars are any iris introduced over 30 years ago Sp. – Species iris, as originally collected from or found in the wild Awards   HC - Highly Commended - for a non-introduced seedling as judged in the garden and receiving five judged votes. HM - Honorable Mention - award for an introduced variety, eligible the second year after its introduction. AM - Award of Merit - required award for eligibility for all yearly awards (eligible second year after receiving HM)   Special Yearly Awards:   Medal Name Iris classification type Dykes Memorial Medal Highest Award of any class; Must have won an AM to qualify Fred and Barbara Walther Cup Winner of most HM votes Caparne-Welch Medal Miniature Dwarf Bearded Cook-Douglas Medal Standard Dwarf Bearded Hans and Jacob Sass Medal Intermediate Bearded Knowlton Medal Border Bearded Williamson-White Medal Miniature Tall Bearded John C. Wister Medal Tall Bearded C. G. White Medal Aril William Mohr Medal: ArilBred (pure to 1/2 breed) Sydney B. Mitchell Medal CA Founders of SIGNA Medal Species Randolph-Perry Medal Species X Mary Swords Deballion Medal Louisiana

 

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