Faqqu’a Iris

National Plant of Palestine.

Gilboa Iris or Faqqu’a Iris (Iris haynei) is a species in the genus Iris, subgenus Iris subgenus and section (botany) Oncocyclus. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the shrublands and mountainsides of Palestine.

Taxonomy

It is written in Arabic as سوسن فقوعة.[1] It was originally found in Palestine,[2] on Mount Gilboa,[3] by Hayne in April 1872, and then it was first published and described by John Gilbert Baker in The Gardeners' Chronicle Vol.6 on page 710 in 1876.[2][4] This description was based on dried samples of plants that Haynes had originally found.

Distribution and habitat

It is native to temperate to Western Asia.[4]

Culture

On 5 April 2016,[1] the Ministry of Environmental Affairs (Palestine) had adopted 'Sawsan Gilboa' (I. haynei) as the national plant of the State of Palestine, to go with the Olive tree (as the national tree), Mountain gazelle (national animal), Palestine sunbird (national bird) and the 5th of March to be the national day for the Palestinian environment.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "News Details : Gilboa Iris "national plant for Palestine" (in Arabic). environment.pna.ps. 5 April 2016. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Iridaceae Iris haynei Baker. ipni.org (International Plant Names Index). Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Gilboa Forests – Springs & Valleys in the Lower Galilee". kkl-jnf.org. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Faqqu'a Iris". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  5. ↑ "EQA: "Gilboa Iris" endemic in our land and our national right to prove it" (in Arabic). wafa.ps. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.