IRIS fragrans. 
Sweet-scented Iris. 
——— — — 
TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. IRIDACEz. 
IRIS. Botanical Register, vol. 3. fol. 246. 
I. fragrans; imberbis, foliis ensiformibus angustis glaucescentibus caulis mul- 
tiflori longitudine, ovariis fusiformibus bracteis herbaceis longioribus, 
perianthii tubo nullo, sepalorum limbo rhomboideo integro, petalis spathu- 
lato-lanceolatis integerrimis basi angustatis sepalorum longitudine, stylis 
fissis. . 
v 
This very distinct species of Iris is a native of the North 
of India, where it was found by Professor Royle. In habit 
it resembles the I. decora of Wallich, which is the Z. nepa- 
lensis of Don, but its flowers are altogether different; it is 
also extremely like the 7. sulcata of Wallich's Indian herba- 
rium, no. 5049, referred to 1. decora by Professor Royle, but 
from which it appears to be distinguished by the form of the 
fruit, which, in J. fragrans, when young, is fusiform and 
longer than the bracts, while in J. sulcata it is oblong, 
and shorter than the bracts. J. longifolia, a Cashmere 
species, figured in the Illustrations of the Botany of the 
Himalayan Mountains, resembles this in the form of the 
leaves, but they are described as being scabrous at the mar- 
gin; moreover the scape is very short and one-flowered in 
that plant, and the lobes of the style are said to be entire ; 
in the absence of a tube to the flower the two correspond. 
- The fragrance of the flowers of this species makes it a 
desirable border plant, in addition to its pretty appearance. 
It is found to be a very hardy perennial, requiring about the 
same treatment as the common Iris sibirica, growing freely 
in any rich soil, and blossoming about the end of June. 
It may be easily increased by dividing the old stock. 
January, 1840. B 
