Specific features of ontogeny of Iris orientalis Mill. introduced to the south-east Ukraine

The paper presents research findings on the ontogeny of Iris orientalis Mill. introduced to the Donetsk Botanical Garden. It was established, that in the course of four years, plantlets subsequently pass the following stages: germinating seedling, juvenile, immature, virginal and young generative stages, reaching mature generative stage in their fifth or sixth year. Typical features of a seedling: bond with a seed, significant structural changes in the course of the development―formation of one or two assimilative leaves, growth and branching of the main root. Juvenile age stage is indicated by formation of three-leaf fan and one or two additional roots, immature stage―by a complete leaf fan of five or seven leaves and by development of additional root system. Virginal stage is distinct due to the transition from monopodial growth to sympodial one with a primary bush formation. Generative stage is marked by biomorph formation, flowering and fruitage. Ontogeny of this species when it is cultivated is characterized by dynamic polyvariety, caused by heterogeneity of individual seedling growth rates. Based on these findings, a seed propagation of I. orientalis is suggested for obtaining a lot of high-grade planting material for landscaping in two or three years after sowing the seeds.