Iris schelkownikowii

Iris schelkownikowii is a species in the genus "Iris", it is also in the subgenus of Iris and in the Oncocyclus section. It is from the Transcaucasus region of Azerbaijan. It has large flowers in shades of bluish or grey-purple violet, with dark brown veining. It also has a reddish purple signal patch and yellow beard.
Description.
"I. schelkownikowii" creates small clumps of plants, withleaves that stay intact until the end of the summer.
It has slightly fragrant, flowers which are cm across.
Like other irises, it has two pairs of petals: three large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls', and three inner, smaller petals (or tepals), known as the 'standards'. The standards are bluish, or grey-purple violet. They are darker than the falls and have dark brown veining. The falls have a reddish/purple blotch, or purple signal patch. Behind the signal patch on the falls is a row of short, dense bristles or hairs called the 'beard' which is yellow.
Biochemistry.
As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes. This can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings. It has a chromosome count of 2n=20.
Taxonomy.
The Latin specific epithet "schelkownikowii" refers to a botanist called Alexandr Bebutovicz Schelkownikow (or Schelk.) (1870-1933). He has co-collector of plant specimens with Georg Jurij Nikolaewitch Woronow.
It was originally published as "Iris schelkownikowii" by A.V. Fomin and G.J.N. Woronow in Opred. Rast. Kavk. Vol.1 on page 299 in 1907. It was then re-published by Fomin in Opred. Rast. Kavk. Kryma (Opredelitel' Rastenjj Kavkaza i Kryma (vypusk 5)) on page 299 in 1909 as "Iris schelkownicowii".
It has also been mis-spelled with a single i at the end as "schelkownikowi". Most of these are early mentions pre 1970s.
Both forms of the name (ending in ..cowii or ..kowii) still exist today but it has been verified as "Iris schelkownikowii" by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 27 February 2002 and then updated on 7 July 2016.
Distribution and habitat.
It is native to temperate Asia.
Range.
It is found in the Southern and eastern Transcaucasus regions, in Azerbaijan.
Habitat.
It prefers to grow in a hot and dry climate, such as steppes.
Cultivation.
The clumps of "I. schelkownii" should be divided every second year, so that it will continue to make more flowers the next year.
Toxicity.
Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (including rhizome and leaves), if mistakenly ingested, it can cause stomach pains and vomiting. Also handling the plant may cause a skin irritation or an allergic reaction.