Iris decora

Iris decora Wall., Pl. Asiat. Rar. 1: 77 1830. (Syn: Evansia nepalensis Klatt; Iris nepalensis D.Don [Illegitimate]; Iris nepalensis var. khasiana Baker; Iris sulcata Wall. [Invalid]; Iris yunnanensis H.Lév.; Junopsis decora (Wall.) Wern.Schulze; Neubeckia decora (Wall.) Klatt; Neubeckia sulcata Klatt);
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Pakistan to S. Central China: Assam, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet, West Himalaya as per POWO;

Plants densely tufted, with small growing point. Roots swollen, fusiform, tuberous. Leaves linear, 10-35 cm long, 2-8 mm wide, veins 2 or 3, base surrounded by brown fibers. Flowering stems sometimes shortly 1-branched, 10-25 cm long, 2-3 mm wide; spathes 3, green, lanceolate, 4.5-9.5 cm, 2-flowered. Flowers violet or pale blue, 2.5-6 cm in diameter. Perianth tube 2.5-3 cm; outer segments spreading, obovate, 2.5-4 cm long, 0.8-1.8 cm wide, crest central, yellow, low, undulate; inner segments erect, narrowly elliptic, 2.5-4 cm long, 0.5-1.2 cm wide. Stamens 1.5-2.5 cm; anthers yellowish white. Style branches 2-3.5 cm. Capsule ellipsoid to ovoid, 2-3.5 cm long, ca. 1 cm wide, apex shortly pointed.

Iris decora is close relative of Iris collettii, but differs from the latter in its flowering stems sometimes branched (vs. always simple), more than 10 cm (vs. very short to 8 cm. or not emerging from ground), perianth tube 2.5-3 cm (vs. 3-5 cm).

Flowering in June; fruiting from July to August.

Iris decora is occurring in Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan of China, Bhutan, N India, Nepal.

Growing in grassy hillsides on plateaus, open stony pastures, cliffs; 2800-3100 m.

(From Plants of Tibet)

Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

SK 3828 02 August 2023: 6 high res. images.

Location: Lama Kyang, Lukum, Rukum West, Nepal

Date: 31 May 2023

Elevation: 2300 m.
Habit : Wild
Iris??
According to the latest checklist Iris kemaonensis Wall. ex Royle, Iris collettii Hook.f. and Iris decora Wall. have got the matching elevation and we can opt out the Iris kemaonensis Wall. ex Royle., but petal markings look different to two other species.

Looks like an Iris species.

Yes

Pattern doesn’t seem to match with anything at
https://efloraofindia.com/2018/07/15/iris/
Was it near habitation? If so, maybe some hybrid.

There are a couple of houses in the distance. Maybe a garden escape?

Yes, possible.

Iris variegata var. reginae (Horvat & M.D.Horvat) T.Hall ??
https://wiki.irises.org/Spec/SpecReginae

I do not think so.

Any guesses ??

No guesses.

https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3455205941 ??

Yes, appears close as per images at
https://www.gbif.org/species/5298353
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3455205941
https://wiki.irises.org/Spec/SpecDecora
http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/decora

But I now have doubts about id of … post at
https://efloraofindia.com/2014/02/27/iris-decora/