A field trip to a forbidden yet utterly magnificent land in search of Iris species has been accomplished.
This field trip was undertaken in preparation for the 3rd volume of Illustrated Flora of Turkey. If you have not yet heard of it, now is the time to discover one of the most groundbreaking botanical projects of our era.
Illustrated Flora of Turkey
Our aim was to find four Iris species — Iris iberica, I. paradoxa, I. barnumiae, and I. lycotis. And we did it — we located every single species we were searching for within just four days.
On our first day, we flew to Van, Turkey — our point of departure and eventual return. That same day, we drove directly eastward to Yüksekova, Hakkari. Along the way, our first specimen, Iris paradoxa, revealed herself in the most beautiful fashion.
We collected our specimen, pressed it, gathered data, and photographed it for future studies. On a field trip, preparing an illustration can be genuinely challenging, as the conditions are often far from ideal.
After collecting sufficient data on Iris paradoxa, we continued eastward. As we approached Yüksekova, we passed through numerous army checkpoints — a sobering reminder that this region has long been affected by conflict. Many difficult stories have unfolded here, and continue to, among the people who were born and live on this breathtaking land.
We waited patiently through long queues to reach the homeland of these remarkable irises. Just before arriving at Yüksekova, Hakkari, we spotted our second species, Iris lycotis. It was a true celebration.
Having found two species on our very first day, we arrived at our hotel in Yüksekova with great satisfaction — but also with considerable work ahead. Before our specimens began to deteriorate, we had to prepare our first sketches, which would serve as the foundation for future illustrations. Hotel conditions are rarely suited to drawing or painting: the light is poor, suitable tables are hard to come by, and there is little comfort for such meticulous work. But we did what we could, and the final illustrations will still be executed to the highest standard for publication in Illustrated Flora of Turkey.
Our second day began early, and we headed further east toward Dağlıca and the Cilo Mountains, close to the Iraqi border. The Cilo Mountains are the second highest range in Turkey. I had desperately wanted to see them — but it was not to be. There was another checkpoint, and this time the army would not let us pass. I felt heartbroken, but as they explained, it was genuinely dangerous to be there at that moment. We reluctantly changed direction toward another location where we hoped to find the specimens we were seeking.
On a field trip, there is always a strong possibility that plans will not unfold as expected — and our second day proved exactly that. On the way to the alternative location, yet another checkpoint blocked our route, and we found ourselves stranded between two checkpoints for hours. The entire day slipped away. When the situation was finally resolved, it was far too late to do anything useful, and we returned to Van to rest.
On our third day, we woke with a new plan and headed instead to Çaldıran, following the Zap River. Less than an hour into the drive, we had already found our third species, Iris barnumiae. Although there were many leaves present, only a few flowering samples could be found. Limited specimens make illustration work considerably more demanding.
Our fourth and final day arrived with some uncertainty — we were not sure we could reach the location of our last species, Iris iberica. But we did. We kept driving toward Çaldıran, and I witnessed some breathtaking landscapes along the way, though the last species remained elusive. Just as we were about to turn back toward the hotel, Iris iberica raised her magnificent head from a great distance. The excitement was indescribable — a truly joyful moment. Seeing such a beautiful plant in the wild is the kind of thing that makes you smile from the inside.
After a few elated moments, we collected our sample and the necessary data, then drove back to Van. Unfortunately there was no time left for any sketches of Iris iberica, so the only option was to take the specimen all the way home to my studio in Fırtına Valley — two flights and two hours of driving. Fortunately, she survived the journey beautifully, still as elegant and charming as when we found her.
It was a truly extraordinary field trip — a magical landscape on a land steeped in history. Every moment of it was worth experiencing. My deepest gratitude goes to our botanists, who made finding the plants seem almost effortless — as though they had planted them there themselves. I am fortunate to have a botanist father who knows the precise location of countless species native to Turkey, and Irises above all. With him by my side, finding what we were looking for was a joy. Now our flora artists are also working on several Iris species to be published in Volume 3. I intend to complete these illustrations sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed!
