So called 'border iris'

I cleaned a flower bed for someone last week and found something I have never seen before. She called it border iris. It is not a typical rhizome. It is a cluster of small blulblets coming from a central 'bulb' or corm type formation. The foliage that was coming up seemed to be spikes that were going to unroll. One had a badly rotted center so I brought it home to work with and see if I can save it for her. I totally removed the center, cut off any spots that looked like they even might have disease in them, soaked them with a weak bleach solution,rinsed them off, and have let them set all night to dry and scab over before I try to plant them. Should I use hormone powder on the pieces?What is the chance of this plant reviving and surviving? Do I take the tiny pieces back to her bed or just tell her it is probably hopeless and keep them here to see what happens? I seldom go there so I would have no opportunity to work with them.

But what is this plant really? Is it truely an iris? If so, which one? This has me very curious. I'm eager to see what the ones I am trying to save look like. I have 3 or 4 small pieces that all have live little pieces of foliage coming out from them.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

There is a classification of bearded iris called Border Bearded, but that doesn't sound like what you're describing, "... spikes that were going to unroll." If they're not actually border beardeds, I don't have a clue what they might be. If your friend's plant blooms this year, see if you can get a few good closeup photos of the flowers and post them here. Then perhaps we can help you identify it.

Laurie

Laurie is right, what you've described is not a Border Bearded iris - which in rhizome, leaf and root looks just like a Tall Bearded iris, only smaller in size overall.

I've not seen bulbous irises before, but I've heard about them, for example, dutch irises.

I have dutch irses, they are bulbs and I have another that sounds like the one above, don't know where I got it, but it sure does put on a show for being a short thing. But my foliage does not unroll, it comes up start in swords like a tall bearded , but this is much shorter and is a multi-bloomer.

I didn't think it is really an iris. I have the cut and dipped pieces in small pots and will see what develops. I'll also make sure I go see the plants as they develop and bloom.

Is it anything like a reticulated iris (aka rock garden iris)?